


Somebody to Love

by Tolstoyevsky



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power
Genre: (but not really), Anxiety, Canon-Typical Violence, F/F, F/M, First Kiss, Fluff and Angst, Friendship, Love Confessions, Love Letters, Mind Manipulation, Reconciliation, Reunions, Secret Admirer, Valentine's Day, that fan at Emerald City Comic Con yelling "Start redemption arc"
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-18
Updated: 2019-06-24
Packaged: 2019-08-25 15:48:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 31,326
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16663693
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tolstoyevsky/pseuds/Tolstoyevsky
Summary: The day before Bright Moon's biggest festival, the Celebration of Love, Adora receives a mysterious love letter. She has a pretty good clue who sent it, but what is she going to do about it?Meanwhile, Catra struggles with a life-changing decision. She has already felt the fallout of her own bad choices, but will she create a better future for herself?Adora and Catra soon learn that choosing your fate can mean shifting the course of more lives than your own.





	1. A Poem for She-Ra

Sometimes, life at Bright Moon felt so unfamiliar to Adora that she didn’t think she’d ever get used to it. 

Take today, for example. Adora had woken up to the sound of a band practicing love songs in the field beneath her window. When she opened her door, Adora saw bright balloons filling the castle hallway. Queen Angella’s guards had left their posts to help put up an enormous, heart-shaped tent in the field outside. 

And this had been going on for days. 

Over the past week, the people of Bright Moon had been preparing for their biggest festival, the Celebration of Love. Pink and yellow streamers hung from the vaulted ceilings of the castle. People chatted about the gifts they would give their sweethearts. Wherever Adora went, she couldn’t escape the enthusiasm. Not even her friends were immune to it. Glimmer and Bow couldn’t wait to go to the Celebration, and they were determined to take Adora with them. 

“Tomorrow’s the big day!” Glimmer squealed. “Are you excited?” 

“Yes,” Adora managed to say. It sounded more like a question than an answer. “But Glimmer, isn’t this a romantic festival? Don’t I… Need somebody to love?” 

“Not necessarily,” Bow said. “The festival is also a time to celebrate your love for family and friends. You don’t have to go with a plus one.” 

“Yeah!” Agreed Glimmer. “The three of us will have a great time.” 

“Best Friend Squad Date!” Bow exclaimed, before sweeping them both into a hug. 

At the time, Adora had smiled and hugged back, hiding her uneasiness. She appreciated her friends’ efforts to include her, but she still felt uncertain about the Celebration. It was one of the grandest events on Etheria, yet Adora had never heard of it before coming to Bright Moon. The Horde didn’t celebrate holidays, not even Lord Hordak’s birthday (instead, he made the army run extra drills). When it came to festivals, Adora was clueless. She had learned a little about parties from her friend Perfuma, but she suspected that other celebrations weren’t quite as flower-laden and meditation-filled. She’d also attended the Princess Prom, but Adora hadn’t made a good impression there. It was a miracle that Princess Frosta had agreed to join their fight against the Horde after all. Adora needed to do better this time. After all, her alter ego She-Ra was the face of the rebellion. She had to make a good impression in public, whether or not she was eight feet tall and holding a giant sword. 

For now, all she wanted was to go to her room and take a nap. 

Just as she flopped down onto the bed, Adora heard a crinkling sound. She was lying on – a piece of paper? A letter. Wait, a poem. Adora sat up, eyes widening as she read the words. 

_The Horde’s symbol is red,_  
_She-ra’s sword is blue_  
_You’re kind of dumb_  
_But I Adora you_

_See you tomorrow >:3_

Adora stared at the poem for a full minute, saying nothing. Suddenly, she felt her cheeks heat up, and she leapt off the bed, her face reddening. 

“What is _this_?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Mermista voice* Well, that’s… Different.
> 
> Title is from the _Queen_ song ;)
> 
> Guys, I had to do it. _She-Ra_ is so much fun. Hope you enjoyed this chapter; more to come! Including ~Seamista~


	2. What's She Planning?

_What is this?_

The question hung in the air, with no reply forthcoming. Obviously, It was a love letter, something Adora had never received before, and it was unsigned. But she recognized the handwriting – the jagged, obnoxious capital letters that looked like they had been carved into steel, not written on paper. The promise that might have been a threat: _See you tomorrow_. The teasing smiley face at the very end. Adora’s grip tightened on the letter; she had to keep herself from crumpling it up. 

“I don’t believe it,” she muttered. 

Adora raced down the hall to Glimmer’s room, where she and Bow were sitting on the rug and playing a card game. Glimmer only held two cards, whereas Bow had at least ten and had arranged them into a fan shape so he could see his whole hand at once. 

“Bow, do you have a queen?” 

“Go fish.” 

“Guys!” Adora yelled, stopping right in front of them. She brandished the paper in one hand, the other resting on her chest as she caught her breath. “Guys, I need your help.” 

Glimmer put her cards facedown on the rug and stood up. 

“What’s wrong?” She asked. 

Meanwhile, Bow slowly leaned over and lifted the cards to peek at them. A small sigh escaped him. 

“Hey, no cheating!” 

Bow yelped, dropping all his cards on the floor. 

“Sorry!” He got up with a half-laugh. “What happened, Adora?” 

She glanced off to the side and shuffled her feet. _Might as well come right out and say it_. 

“I got a love letter,” Adora mumbled. 

“ _What_?” Bow shrieked. 

Glimmer’s eyes lit up with actual sparkles. 

“Let me see!” She exclaimed, snatching the paper out of Adora’s hands. Bow was bouncing with excitement as he leaned over Glimmer’s shoulder to get a better look. 

“No way,” he marveled. “It’s a poem. ‘The Horde’s symbol is red, She-ra’s sword is blue…’” Bow frowned. “‘You’re kind of dumb… But I Adora you.’ Aww, that’s cute–” Catching sight of Adora’s expression, he hesitated. “Cute in an insulting way,” Bow amended. 

“What’s this ‘See you tomorrow’ part?” Glimmer asked. “At the festival?” 

“I guess so.” 

“Do you know who sent this?” 

Adora let out a long breath she didn’t know she’d been holding. 

“Yeah,” she murmured. “It’s – it’s from Catra.” 

Silence fell between them. 

“Oh,” Glimmer said, concerned. 

“ _Oh_ ,” said Bow, in an entirely different tone. 

“Exactly!” Adora yelled. Her friends didn’t know much about Catra, besides the fact that she had led the Horde’s invasion of Bright Moon and tried to destroy Queen Angella’s runestone. Adora knew far more – she and Catra had grown up together in the Fright Zone; they used to be best friends, inseparable, always looking out for each other. But when Adora learned that the Horde was conquering and destroying Etheria, she couldn’t bear to stay in the Fright Zone any longer. She had to admit it – she defected, and left Catra behind. Since then, they’d been walking the line between tentative allies and mortal enemies. It was an anguished, painful _pas de deux_ that Adora couldn’t explain. 

Then Catra had tried to kill her. 

“What is she planning, sending me this? Is it some kind of threat? Is she going to crash the party?” Adora paced back and forth, hands balled into fists. “I mean, how dare she?” 

“This doesn’t… Sound like a threat,” Bow murmured, turning toward Glimmer for confirmation. They exchanged long looks; eventually, Glimmer nodded. 

“I agree. Besides, how do you know it’s from Catra?” 

“The – the smiley face! She always draws this… Smiling cat… Thing.” 

“That’s not conclusive evidence,” said Bow. 

“It’s her handwriting,” Adora said flatly. She relaxed her hands, letting the tension drain from her body, but she still looked tired. “What am I supposed to do?” 

Carefully, Glimmer stepped forward and rested a hand on Adora’s arm. 

“What do you want to do?” 

“Just… Not have a stressful night. I don’t want to have to go to the festival as She-Ra, sword blazing, because it turns out Catra’s brought an entire force squadron with her.” 

“So I’ll tell my mom to increase security.” Glimmer smiled. “Hey. If something happens, we’ll be right there with you. And so will the rest of the Princess Alliance.” 

“Yeah, I heard Mermista’s going with Sea Hawk,” Bow added with a knowing grin. 

“What a surprise,” Glimmer deadpanned. 

Bow shrugged and wrapped an arm around each of them. 

“Listen, Adora, we’ll figure something out, okay? Glimmer and I, we’ve got your back.” 

The corners of her mouth quirked up into a small smile. When Adora thought about the friendships she’d made at Bright Moon, she never regretted leaving the Horde. 

“How about we start with finding you an outfit? You can match with Bow and me,” Glimmer offered. “We’re going to wear blue.” 

Adora nodded. The letter fell to the floor as she reached out to hug Glimmer and Bow. 

“That sounds great.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bow has an idea about what's going on ;)
> 
> Next time:  
>  _“…Glimmer, I hate this outfit.”_


	3. History

In theory, matching with Bow and Glimmer for the Celebration was a great idea. In practice, Adora had already tried on most of Glimmer’s dresses, and none of them suited her. This latest option had to be the worst, a frilly gown with puffed-up sleeves and a wide belt. Cringing, she hitched up the hem of the dress and did a mock-curtsey in front of the mirror. 

“…Glimmer, I hate this outfit.” 

“What? You look great! Spin around.” 

Adora pouted, but obliged. 

“I look like a blueberry.” 

“So maybe blue’s not your color,” Bow said with a shrug. He was sitting by the window, doodling in a sketchbook. “I still think you should go with the purple dress from earlier.” 

“Fear not! I have plenty of other options,” Glimmer reassured them. She poked her head into the closet and pulled out a few more dresses, flinging them over her shoulder at Adora and Bow. “This green one mirrors the beauty of nature… This yellow dress is warm and happy; there’s no drama with this dress… Ooh, what about this pink one? Simple, elegant, evokes the spirit of the holiday–“ 

Glimmer threw the dress, and it landed on Adora’s head. She pulled it off, barely giving it a look before she set it aside. 

“I don’t _want_ to evoke the spirit of the holiday.” 

“… Right. Then, what about–“ 

“Can we take a break from this?” Adora demanded. 

Glimmer sighed and fell into a beanbag chair. 

“No worries.” 

Adora stood uncomfortably still, running the fabric of the dress between her fingers. 

“Tell us about Catra,” Bow suggested. “You… Used to be friends, right?” 

“I, uh – changed my mind about the dresses!” Adora laughed, too loudly. “Show me more, Glimmer.” 

“I want to hear about her, too.” 

Adora’s lips drew into a tight line. Her thoughts drifted back to Princess Prom, to how gullible she’d been. All the bad decisions she’d made, from the moment Catra had entered the banquet hall. She had arrived with the Horde princess, Scorpia; that should have been enough to tip Adora off that her old friend was there to distract her. Instead, Adora had wasted time tailing Catra across the dance floor while Scorpia planted heat bombs around the castle and abducted her friends. 

Adora felt a drop in her stomach at the memory of it: Catra approaching her for the first dance of the evening, the slow fall against her shoulder, Catra’s hand on her back as she dipped Adora to the floor. 

_Maybe my plan won’t work, but then again… Maybe it already has._

“Adora?” 

“There’s nothing to say! She kidnapped you and held you for ransom in the Fright Zone; isn’t that enough?” 

Glimmer sat up, cupping her hands together. 

“If you were still with the Horde, wouldn’t you have done the same thing?” She asked. 

“Maybe, but I’m _not_.” 

“I’m not saying I trust her; I don’t. But that doesn’t make her a bad person.” 

“She is a bad person! She tried to kill me, in the First Ones Citadel–“ 

“Wait, what?” Bow’s jaw dropped. 

“She was there?” Glimmer exclaimed. 

“She left before you arrived– the point is, she hates me, now. There is no good reason why she would want to see me, if not to finish what she started.” 

“Or she regrets it,” Bow mused, walking over. “And she wants to apologize.” 

“She already told me she wouldn’t.” 

“Tell us what happened, Adora?” Glimmer asked gently, patting the spot beside her on the beanbag chair. “As much or as little as you want to.” 

Adora chewed on her bottom lip. If it was hard for her to think about Princess Prom, then she could barely concentrate on what had happened in the Citadel. The memories whisked in and out of focus, like the fragments of a nightmare. She didn’t want to know what Bow and Glimmer would think, not knowing any of the history between her and Catra. 

So she started at the beginning, and her friends listened. 

They stayed there for a very long time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time: _"Hey, Adora."_


	4. The Celebration (Part 1)

Bright Moon was alive, more so than Adora had ever known it. From the castle grounds, she could see the whole city: the colorful streamers that hung from the rooftops, the bells ringing in the tower of the First Ones Temple. People from all over Etheria had arrived in time for the festival. Their voices carried, echoing off the cliffs that surrounded the city. Lanterns dotted the mountainside, swaying in the wind like fireflies gliding through the dark. The Celebration of Love was just beginning. 

Adora and her friends made their way down the path that led from the castle to the field. Bow and Glimmer were matching in their sky-blue outfits; as for Adora, she had chosen to wear the purple dress Bow suggested. She’d tied her hair back into a ponytail and pulled on a pair of sandals, resisting the urge to bring her sword along. _This isn’t a battle_ , she kept telling herself. _I’m supposed to have fun_. She replayed the words in her head, even as Bow and Glimmer linked arms with her and tried to make conversation. 

“I’m so excited! This is my favorite holiday,” Glimmer exclaimed. 

“Really?” Bow looked surprised. “I thought Winter Solstice was your favorite.” 

“Winter Solstice doesn’t bring this many people to Bright Moon. I can’t wait to find our friends–“ 

“There they are,” Adora observed. 

A small group of people stood at the edge of the field, glancing around expectantly. Mermista and Sea Hawk were together, as expected, along with Perfuma, Frosta, Netossa, and Spinnerella. From the looks of it, they were waiting for Adora, Bow, and Glimmer to complete their party. 

Adora hesitated. She knew that if she joined her friends now, she wouldn’t have the courage to leave their side for the rest of the night – and she would never find the one person that had come here, against all expectations, for her. 

“Adora, are you coming?” Glimmer asked. 

“Go on ahead,” she said. “I’m going to look for Catra.” 

They lingered, hesitant. 

“You know, get things over with.” 

“Okay,” Bow said eventually, wrapping an arm around Glimmer’s shoulders. She nodded and stood up a little straighter, smiling. 

“Stay safe.” 

“I will.” 

Heading to the city, Adora kept an eye out for Catra. She wandered the streets, trying not to get distracted by the street vendors and performers. Adora recognized plenty of faces, but not the one she was looking for. It didn’t take long for her to get tired of searching. She’d half-expected her old friend to leap out at her from a dark alleyway and tackle her to the ground, but Catra was nowhere in sight. Eventually, Adora decided to check the field; she circled it three times, feeling ridiculous, before she gave up. Maybe the letter had been a joke after all. 

Adora sighed and leaned back against a tree, surveying the festivities. Under the largest tent, Netossa and Spinnerella were dancing a waltz. Sea Hawk had dragged Mermista onto the dance floor, but now they were arguing about who should lead. The rest of the Princess Alliance was eating dinner at a round table, trying not to laugh as Sea Hawk and Mermista stepped on each other’s toes. No sign of – 

“Hey, Adora.” 

She shrieked, nearly stumbling to the ground. Adora felt a clawed hand curl around her shoulder to keep her from falling. Turning her head, she found herself nose-to-nose with Catra. Her blue and yellow eyes blinked back at Adora, and a lock of curly hair brushed against Adora’s cheek. 

“C-Catra! You startled me. I didn't know you were- I mean, I knew you were going to be here, but I didn’t expect you to show up from behind...” 

Catra let go, taking a step back. Adora finally got a good look at her. She was wearing a dark purple suit with a bow tie, and she’d switched out her red headpiece for a purple one. It looked like Adora matched with someone after all. 

“This... Tree. Um-“ Adora managed a smile. “Hi.” 

Catra arched a brow, smiling slightly. 

“Hi,” she said. “You got my letter?” 

“Um, yeah... Though I still haven’t figured out how it arrived. I mean, there’s no express mail from the Fright Zone.” 

“I delivered it myself.” 

“You...?” 

“I climbed through your window.” 

Adora frowned, not sure whether to be impressed or alarmed. “Are you serious?” 

Catra rolled her shoulders, a lazy chuckle leaving her lips. “You’re the one that left it open in the middle of the day,” she said nonchalantly. “Your sword was there, too. Luckily, I’m not a thief.” 

“So you’re stalking me now?” Adora asked, crossing her arms. 

Catra scoffed. She spun around the trunk of the tree and reappeared on the other side. 

“Don't flatter yourself.” 

She was already heading away, but slowly enough that Adora didn’t have to hurry after her. She walked alongside Catra, her steps less self-assured than usual. Adora couldn’t help but notice that Catra was struggling to look at her. 

“Then... Why are you here?” 

That earned a glare from Catra, but it was quickly masked by a smile. “I’m here to enjoy the Celebration, like everyone else-“ Suddenly, Catra's eyes lit up. “Hey, let's get something to eat!” She pointed her thumb at the food stands. 

“Okay-“ 

Adora barely had time to agree before Catra grabbed her hand and began running. She let herself get pulled along, gaze flicking down to where they were touching. The warmth of Catra’s hand was a familiar comfort, one that nevertheless felt out of place. 

They stopped at a Plumerian stand that was decorated with many varieties of gardenias. Adora knew the owner, a young man from Perfuma’s village. 

“Hello, Florian." 

“The She-Ra!” He bowed his head; obviously, he recognized Adora, too. “I hope you’re having a good time at the festival.” 

Beside her, Catra snickered into her elbow. _Ignore her_ , Adora thought furiously. _Ignore, ignore_. 

__“What can I get you, She-Ra?”_ _

__Adora pursed her lips, leaning in. The pastries in the front row looked good._ _

__“A... Plumerian passionfruit special.”_ _

__Florian lifted the pastry in one deft motion and placed it on a napkin._ _

__“A good choice,” he said, handing it to Adora. “And for your date?”_ _

__“She’s not my-“_ _

__Catra leaned over the countertop and grinned._ _

__“I’ll have what she’s having.”_ _

__“Very well.” Florian gave the second pastry to Catra, who licked her lips hungrily._ _

__“How much?” Adora asked, trying to control the edge in her voice._ _

__“Oh, it’s on the house.”_ _

__“What?” She exclaimed. “Are you sure?”_ _

__Laughing, Florian waved a hand dismissively. “Yes, of course. It's the Celebration of Love! I couldn’t charge the She-Ra… Or her friend. Enjoy the night!”_ _

__“Thank you,” Catra and Adora said, one more enthusiastically than the other. As they started walking again, Catra took the opportunity to hold hands with Adora. She nuzzled against Adora’s upper arm, just enough for it to not be accidental._ _

__“Do you always get free food like this?” Catra asked, taking a huge bite out of the pastry. “‘Cause this is amazing.”_ _

__“Sometimes,” Adora admitted. “Not always.”_ _

__“This beats army rations any day.”_ _

“Listen, Catra, I’m confused. What are you doing here? And don’t tell me you’re just “enjoying the Celebration.” You may think I’m dumb, but I’m not _that_ dumb.” 

__Catra’s eyes settled on hers. Adora felt like she was being studied, carefully picked apart under her gaze. She counted the freckles on Catra’s nose and cheeks, to distract herself from the growing discomfort between them._ _

__“You can’t accept that I wanted to see you?”_ _

__“The last time you saw me, your claws were at my throat.”_ _

__“I trimmed them,” Catra said. Her tail came up to flick Adora’s ponytail._ _

__“What are you trying to do?” Adora pressed._ _

__Catra had brought them to the main tent, her feet padding softly as she stepped onto the dance floor. She held her hand out to Adora, a hopeful nervousness shining in her eyes._ _

__“I want to dance with you.”_ _

__Adora’s cheeks colored._ _

__“If you’ll have me.”_ _

__“Fine,” she grumbled, slipping her hand into Catra’s. Adora allowed her to interlace their fingers together as they wove their way through the crowd of dancers. At the far end of the hall, an orchestra was playing a gentle, slow song._ _

__“Do you want to lead?” Adora asked, wrapping her arms around Catra’s shoulders._ _

__A subtle shake of the head. Reaching up, Catra lowered Adora’s hands so they rested against the small of her back. Then she put her own arms around Adora’s neck._ _

__“Nah. You lead this time.”_ _

***

At a nearby table, the Princess Alliance had caught sight of Adora and Catra. 

“Is that–?” Glimmer practically leapt from her chair. 

“Yup,” said Bow. 

“Oh, dear. Should we intervene?” Perfuma asked. 

“No,” Mermista said, leaning back in her chair. Sea Hawk stood behind her, braiding her hair into a fishtail. 

“You mean you don’t want to dance with me again?” He teased. 

“Absolutely not.” 

“Spinnerella and Netossa are still over there. They can keep an eye on Adora,” Perfuma suggested. 

“I don’t think we can trust them to keep their eyes off each other,” murmured Frosta, watching the two ladies spin each other across the dance floor. 

“Oh, look,” Perfuma marveled, tracking Adora and Catra as they found an empty spot to dance. “They match.” 

“They’re talking very animatedly,” observed Sea Hawk. 

Glimmer growled under her breath. 

“I can’t stand not knowing what’s happening! Bow, we _have_ to go over there,” she insisted. 

“I-I don’t know, Glimmer. We don’t want to make them feel uncomfortable–“ 

She gave him a pleading look. He bit his lip, then nodded and stood up. In a few seconds, they’d dashed onto the dance floor. 

“So,” Frosta began, pausing to sip her orange juice. “Are those two dating?” 

***

Meanwhile, Adora and Catra had settled into the rhythm of the music. They kept a few inches’ distance, enough to watch each other. Adora led as best she could; neither she nor Catra had ever learned any formal dances. At first, part of her attention was focused on moving with the crowd. But she quickly caught on, and Catra followed easily, imitating her steps. 

“I heard Lord Hordak made you his Second-In-Command,” Adora said through gritted teeth. 

“Mm-hm.” 

“Congratulations. You finally got everything you ever wanted.” 

“Not really,” Catra said quietly. 

“Huh? What do you mean–“ 

“–You’re slowing down, Adora. Keep up with the music, or I’ll take the lead.” 

Adora wrinkled her nose. 

“What? No!” 

Catra laughed, a warm sound that came right from the belly. 

“That’s what I thought.” 

Adora felt something nudge inside her chest, an uneasy pattering. It took her a second, but she recognized it as her heartbeat. _For Etheria’s sake_ , she thought. 

“So do you lead the Horde Army now? Shadow Weaver never did any of that, even though she used to be Second-In-Command.” 

“Seriously, Adora, _shut up_ ,” Catra snapped. “I’m not going to talk about that. Can’t we just dance?” 

The slow song ended, and the orchestra immediately launched into a playful pop tune. Adora unfurled herself from Catra’s hold, but Catra spun back in, her hands finding Adora’s waist. She followed the beat, guiding them both, as the throng of dancers grew lively around them. For a moment, Adora thought she saw Bow and Glimmer in the crowd, but then she felt fingers tracing her jawline and looked down. 

“Catra?” 

“That dress looks good on you, by the way.” Catra gave a thoughtful smile that reached her eyes. “The purple, it’s pretty.” 

“T-thank you,” Adora said, swallowing down on the heartbeat that threatened to climb into her throat. “I like your suit. We match.” 

“Heh, yeah. I borrowed it from Kyle.” 

“Hang on. You and _Kyle_ are the same size?” Adora had to laugh. 

“I was surprised, too. But he was the only person from our old crowd that would’ve been willing to give me a suit, no questions asked. He’s a decent guy.” 

Adora furrowed her brow. “You didn’t tell anyone you why were coming here?” 

“I told Scorpia that I was doing reconnaissance, so someone would cover for me with Hordak. Does that count?” 

“Depends,” Adora said lightly. “Is that what you’re doing? Scoping out the territory?” 

“Don’t be a dummy.” 

“That reminds me; I don’t appreciate that you called me dumb in that letter–“ Catra burst out laughing, tipping her head back. 

“ _Adora_ ,” she breathed, and Adora had never heard someone say her name in a way so filled with meaning. “That’s what you chose to focus on? You are _so_ dumb!” 

__…And she had to ruin it. Adora growled and twirled Catra around. The melody rose an octave; on cue, she swung her dance partner out again, rolling her eyes at the smirk that played across Catra’s face._ _

__“I can’t stand you,” Adora hissed, as Catra spun back into her arms._ _

__“Really?” A toothy grin. “…Song’s ending. Dip me.”_ _

__She did as she was told. In one fluid movement, Catra arched her back until her hair was nearly touching the ground. Adora leaned over and supported her weight with one hand, the other intertwined with Catra’s. Taking deep breaths, they held the position, watching the gentle rise and fall of each other’s chests. Around them, the crowd stilled as the orchestra played its final note. For an instant, there was silence – then deafening applause. Catra laughed breathlessly. Adora felt herself tremble, as if her sense of time had slowed._ _

__“No,” she whispered._ _

__“Huh?”_ _

__“No, I can’t – I don’t hate you.”_ _

__Catra stood up straight, without much help from Adora. For the first time that night, she looked caught off guard._ _

“Oh. I hoped not,” she said. “Because I _adore_ you.” 

__Then she stepped closer, a wicked glint in her eyes, and poked Adora on the nose._ _

__“Catch me if you can."_ _

__Stunned into silence, Adora watched her sprint away. She touched the tip of her nose, as if confirming what had just happened. Steeling herself, she took a deep breath–_ _

__–And began running._ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided to split up the Celebration into 2 or 3 chapters, because there's a lot happening :P
> 
> Next time: The chase is on! Sea Hawk and Mermista get separated from the group.


	5. The Celebration (Part 2)

When she had first envisioned the Celebration, Adora hadn’t expected it to involve sprinting across the field after Catra. Her senses sharpened, and her whole surroundings came into focus. The sky freckled with stars, the trees singing in the breeze. A mosquito buzzing around her ear. Smoke rising from a fire pit. Catra’s laughter echoed not far ahead of her, and Adora’s muscles hummed with the thrill of the chase. 

Running through the damp grass, Adora was struck by a strange feeling of nostalgia. Back when she lived with the Horde, it seemed as though she spent most of her time chasing after Catra. In battle simulations, when her friend’s agility proved an advantage; during their free time, when Adora was tasked with keeping Catra out of trouble; and when they both got in trouble, and Catra just happened to be the faster runner of the two. 

But it had never been like this. Adora gasped for breath; Catra stayed just out of reach, her tail swaying playfully, as though beckoning for her to keep at it. 

_Like I’m going to give up now_ , Adora thought. She tailed Catra to where the edge of the field met the Whispering Woods. 

“Getting tired?” Catra asked. She turned around, still running, and Adora could see that her pupils were wide from the adrenaline rush. 

“Not a chance,” she countered. 

Catra nodded– _approvingly_ , Adora thought – then dived to the right. Adora stopped in her tracks, about to collide with a tree. She glared over her shoulder at Catra before pushing herself off the tree trunk. 

“That was a close one!” 

“Catra–“ 

Adora lunged for her legs. 

“Oh, she’s mad now!” 

“Enough,” she protested, even as Catra leapt out of reach. “Just – stop running!” 

That earned a quizzical look from Catra, who finally slowed a few paces away. 

“So you admit defeat?” She asked. 

Finally, Adora saw an opening. She sprinted forward and tackled Catra, pinning her to the ground. Catra huffed as she hit the ground, but her frustration dissolved into laughter. 

“What was that?” Adora demanded. 

“The look on your face!” Catra made no effort to get out from under Adora’s hold, her body shaking with giggles. “Y-you almost lost it–“ 

“You’re damned right, because I _almost_ hit a tree!” 

Catra grinned up at her. Her cheeks were red, her hair all matted. 

“It’s not my fault you’re clumsy,” she said. 

Sighing, Adora rolled off her and sat down in the grass. Catra got to her feet, extending a hand. Sharp claws brushed against Adora’s palm as she grabbed hold, letting Catra pull her up. 

“Your hands are so cold.” 

“Yeah, well, they’ve always been like that. I don’t think the blood flows to my fingers properly.” 

Catra hissed, as though in pain. She cupped Adora’s hands, rolling circles over her knuckles with her thumbs. Adora shivered, and Catra moved closer. The tips of her toes touched Adora’s sandals. 

“Are you going to tell me what this is about?” 

“Do I need to?” 

“I-I don’t understand what I’m getting into.” 

That wasn’t entirely true; Adora had _some_ idea, and she felt a twinge of discomfort in pushing Catra to explain herself. But it didn’t seem to bother Catra, who had crept into the space between them. 

“I’ll show you,” she murmured, pressing up against her. “C’mere.” 

“Where?” Adora asked. She felt unsteady on her feet as Catra leaned in and touched their foreheads together. 

“Here,” Catra whispered, then kissed her. 

Adora lost track of the world. 

***

“ _From her I cannot stand to be apart; she lights the fire of my wretched heart–_ “ 

“Sea Hawk, I swear–“ 

“ _I am wrapped around her little finger,_ ” Sea Hawk crooned, linking his pinky with Mermista’s as they walked down the esplanade. “ _And every second without her lingers._ ” 

“Okay, that was cute,” Mermista admitted. She watched the gondolas drift down Bright Moon River and into a tunnel illuminated by heart-shaped lights. “But I’m still not going in the Tunnel of Love with you.” 

Sea Hawk collapsed onto her shoulder. 

“Please, Princess? I won’t set the boat on fire!” 

“You had your chance.” 

“ _My lady’s heart, as restless as the sea, and yet she braves the storms of life with me._ ” 

Mermista rolled her eyes. Sometimes, she could hardly believe that _this_ was the guy she liked. On the one hand, Sea Hawk was a mustachioed dork that had a weird sense of humor and talked a big game. On the other, he was kind and handsome, a decent enough sailor, and he loved Mermista without reservation. Maybe it wasn’t so strange that she’d warmed to his quirks. Even his singing didn’t sound that appalling anymore. 

“The holiday’s making you more dramatic than usual,” she said, putting an arm around him. “Where did the others go?” 

Sea Hawk shrugged, looking around. 

“I believe we got separated.” 

“…Did you plan this?” 

“No! I haven’t even thought about the others since we left the dinner table. I was lost in the eyes of my beautiful princess.” 

She stifled a laugh and shook her head. “Since it’s you, I can believe it.” 

“My love,” he marveled, “You do care!” 

“Yeah, whatever,” she said fondly. 

Mermista took Sea Hawk’s arm and continued along the riverside. Eventually, they sat down on an empty bench, watching other people pass by and commenting on their outfits. It was how they’d passed the time at last year’s Celebration after Sea Hawk got them kicked out of the Tunnel of Love. She took pride in the fact that she and Sea Hawk matched so elegantly this year, both wearing yellow suits with gold embroidery. 

“What about that dress?” 

“It’s kind of… _Too_ green,” Sea Hawk decided. 

Mermista felt a sudden chill in the air, and she huddled closer to him. 

“Yeah, I wouldn’t wear that,” she said, shivering. 

“Are you cold?” Asked Sea Hawk. 

“What, you don’t feel it? The temperature dropped.” 

He pulled his suit jacket off and draped it over her shoulders. She smiled and wrapped the sleeves around her neck like a scarf. 

“Now that you mention it, it _is_ nippy.”

“You also just took your jacket off. But thanks–“ 

Her smile faded. Sea Hawk was frozen in place, staring at something in the distance. 

“Mermista. Do you see that?” 

She was surprised to realize that he sounded… Afraid. Mermista grew worried just from watching him. She turned her head, to see what he was looking at– and immediately rose from the bench. 

“Yes,” she breathed, eyes blown wide. “Sea Hawk, run.” 

***

Adora was at a loss. 

When Catra had first kissed her, she hadn’t known what to do – Kiss back? Pull away? Shut her eyes, or keep them open? But Catra had tangled her fingers in Adora’s hair, still seeking a reaction, and sighed against her lips. 

That was how it started. 

Now, Adora was leaning against the tree she had almost crashed into earlier, with one arm around Catra’s waist and the other on the nape of her neck. Catra’s fingers dug into her shoulder blades, her lips meeting Adora’s again, and she kissed back like it was the end of the world. 

“You’re beautiful,” Catra purred. “It drives me crazy.” 

Adora didn’t say anything, because she couldn’t. She paused to take a deep breath. Catra’s eyes were trained on hers, a soft expression spreading across her face. 

“Take it easy,” she murmured. 

“You – wrote me a love letter,” Adora said, when she found the words. “Are you in love with me?” 

Catra’s ears twitched guardedly. 

“Maybe you should stop talking,” she whispered, “And kiss me again.” 

But Adora could speak again; the spell that had fallen over her was broken, and she recalled everything that had happened between her and Catra since she’d left the Horde. 

“No, wait– stop.” 

Catra smiled, and Adora thought she might give in again. 

“What’s wrong?” 

She pulled away, but still held onto Catra’s shoulders. 

“…Catra, you tried to kill me.” 

The silence wedged its way between them again. Catra stared at her with a familiar, shocked expression. She shifted away from Adora, casting a glance at the dark woods behind them. 

“Knew it was too good to be true,” she said bitterly. 

Despite the moment they’d just shared, or maybe because of it, Adora felt angry at those words. 

“What? You thought I would forget about the fact that you let me fall off a cliff inside the First Ones Citadel?” 

“No–“ 

“Or that by kissing me, you’d get me to forgive you?” 

“I messed up.” 

“Yeah, you did!” She shouted, stalking forward. 

“And I regret it!” Catra yelled, not one to be outmatched. “Why do you think I’m here, Adora? To play dress-up and flirt?” 

Adora scoffed. 

“If I hadn’t been so lucky, neither of us would be here. I’d be dead, and you’d be back with the Horde–“ 

“I'm aware–" 

“Then why are you admitting this now?” Adora exclaimed, hands balling into fists. “Why didn’t you come with me before, when I asked you to? The Horde has done terrible things, and so have you! What, did you need to test the waters of evil before deciding they were too cold for you?” 

Rage erupted in Catra’s eyes. 

“Why didn’t _you_ keep your promise?” She roared. “You said nothing bad would happen to us, as long as we had each other. Do you realize the kind of hell Shadow Weaver put me through when I didn’t come back with you? Damn it–“ 

Adora stilled. 

“–The hell she’s put me through since we were kids, all because I couldn’t measure up to her favorite soldier? And then you _left_!” 

“What do you mean?” Adora asked, touching her shoulder. “What did she do, Catra?” 

“Don’t be stupid,” Catra hissed. She batted Adora’s hand away. “All those times she used her magic on us as kids, to punish us when we underperformed or did something wrong? To her, I never stopped underperforming. I did everything wrong.” 

The realization fell like a slap across the face. Adora’s eyes shuttered closed, as though she was still recovering from the sting. 

“You never told me.” 

“I didn’t want you to worry!” Catra hugged her elbows, curling in on herself. “Obviously, I was more concerned for you than you were for me.” 

“That’s not fair.” 

“Yeah, well, life isn’t fair.” 

Adora shook her head. “No, I mean that you can’t compare what I did to what you did. I didn’t know Shadow Weaver was hurting you when I left the Horde. _You_ threw me off a cliff!” 

“I’m sorry!” Catra’s voice shook. She reached for Adora, clinging to the folds of her dress. “I’m so sorry that I hurt you. I was stupid and angry, and I didn’t know what I wanted.” 

Adora exhaled sharply. Her fingers closed around Catra’s wrist in warning. It would be so easy to ask Catra what she wanted, to give it to her. But the question didn’t come. 

“That’s not all,” Adora said. “If you hadn’t kidnapped Glimmer and Bow, Entrapta wouldn’t be dead!” 

“Entrapta?” Catra finally let go. Her brow furrowed in confusion. 

“The– princess with the moving purple hair!” 

Catra scoffed. “I know who she is. But Entrapta’s not–“ 

“ _Adora!_ ” 

They whirled around to see Glimmer and Bow not far away, searching the field. _Something’s happened_ , Adora realized. In the distance, plumes of smoke rose into the sky. A thunderous sound reached her ears. Explosions. 

“ _Adora,_ ” Glimmer called again. “ _Where are you?_ ” 

“What did you do?” Adora shrieked, turning on Catra. 

“I-I didn’t do anything,” she stammered. “I have no clue what’s going on!” 

“You’re unbelievable–“ 

“Listen, I need to tell you something. It’s about Entrapta–“ 

“ _Where are you?_ ” Bow’s voice, this time. " _We need She-Ra!_ " 

“I have to go,” Adora said, pulling away. Catra tried to take her arm, but her fingers closed on air. 

“Adora, I–“ 

“Just get out of here, Catra, before I do something I’ll regret.” 

Silence. Then a faint rustling in the underbrush, growing quieter by the second. Adora broke out into a run, to where Bow and Glimmer were standing in the field. She couldn’t bear to look back at the Whispering Woods. Besides, she knew that if she did, Catra would be gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys for all the love on this story! I am really happy that y'all are enjoying it so much. It means a lot to me, and I'm excited to share what happens next with you!
> 
> Next time: Adora, Glimmer, and Bow head to the rescue, but will they be able to prevent the city's destruction?  
> Dun, dun, dunnn. More drama ahead >:3


	6. The Celebration (Part 3)

Mermista had thought it was just a cloud at first. There, along the horizon, shades of gray moved with the wind. The sky was overcast, and she hadn’t given it a second thought until she turned to Sea Hawk and noticed the look on his face. Mermista wasn’t easily spooked, but as she followed his line of sight, she realized that that was no ordinary cloud. A plume of black smoke was approaching the city, and it looked alive. 

“Sea Hawk, run,” she said. 

“What? I’m not leaving you!” 

Mermista sighed, then shifted into a fighting stance. The smoke was barreling toward them at a speed that could not be explained by normal weather patterns. Living by the sea, Mermista had witnessed many storms, but nothing like this. Who – or what – was controlling it? 

The smoke circled high above their heads. Mermista glanced up and swore she saw a pair of red eyes stare back at her. Suddenly, the smoke dissipated– but it wasn’t gone; it was changing form. It made itself thin, like a needle, and shot through the nearest string of lanterns. The street went dark; people started screaming. 

Mermista stumbled, bumping into Sea Hawk. 

“Are you all right, Princess?” 

“Yeah.” Relief washed over her as they reached for each other. She couldn’t tell where the smoke had gone, but Sea Hawk was still here. “What was–“ 

“Mermista, down!” 

Sea Hawk grabbed her and dived to the ground. The smoke whisked past their heads, just missing them. Mermista groaned as she got up, her knees bloody from the impact. Hands shaking, she brushed herself off and handed Sea Hawk his suit jacket. 

“Thanks,” she gasped. “Now will you get out of here?” 

Sea Hawk’s mustache twitched. He looked at her as if she were crazy. 

“I’m not going anywhere!” 

“Are you dumb?” Mermista yelled. She gestured around them; fires had started where the lanterns were destroyed, and people were running away from the esplanade. “It’s not safe! We don’t know what that thing _is_. I can fend it off for a while, but you don’t even have your ship–“ 

Sea Hawk nudged her shoulder, pointing toward the Tunnel of Love. 

“I don’t need mine,” he said, his smile building. “I only need a ship." 

***

By the time Adora reached the city, it was no longer the same place she’d seen a few hours ago. She’d had to go back to Castle Bright Moon to retrieve She-Ra’s sword, which weighed even more heavily on her back as she took in the scene around her. The pink and yellow streamers had been torn to ribbons; the heart-shaped lanterns were flaming husks that dangled perilously above the streets. Fires had started along the esplanade, and all the joy to which the Celebration had paid tribute was burning before her. Glimmer and Bow, standing beside her, were also at a loss. 

“Oh, no,” Glimmer whispered. “What happened here? I- My mom said everything would be safe–“ 

Adora bit her lip. The ache in her friend’s voice stung more than any wound. If she’d taken her sword along with her instead of leaving it back at the castle, if she hadn’t gotten distracted – 

But she was stuck on the memory of Catra smiling, her coattails swinging behind her as they danced. Their slow, deep kisses amid the trees. Catra’s fingers pressing against Adora’s shoulders, too tenderly to bruise, even though Adora still felt the old wounds from Catra’s claws across her back. The fear surfacing in her eyes when Adora asked, _Are you in love with me?_ And the lack of an answer – 

Could she have prevented any of this? 

Adora felt a hand brush against her arm; it was Bow’s. He shook his head, as if he’d guessed what she was thinking about. 

“…Bow?” Her voice sounded strained. 

“Don’t focus on that,” he said, offering a smile. “You might want to get out your sword.” 

“Right–“ She cleared her throat. “You’re right.” Bright Moon needed She-Ra right now, not Adora. She reached over her shoulder, pulling the Sword of Protection out of its baldric. In the darkness, a bright blue light emanated from the blade. Lifting the sword above her head, she shouted the words that sparked her transformation. 

“For the honor of Grayskull!” 

***

Well, this evening was officially a disaster. 

When Mermista had agreed to go to this year’s Celebration, she didn’t think it would involve her wading into Bright Moon River to fight a smoke monster with her powers. With one hand, she shot blasts of water at the creature, aiming for the red eyes that glared at her from within the smoke. With her other hand, Mermista created a wave for Sea Hawk, who sailed a burning gondola toward the creature. She almost felt nostalgic for their fiery ride through the Tunnel of Love; if she had thought last year’s Celebration was crazy, then this was insane. 

“ _Adventure_!” Sea Hawk sang. 

“Can you not?” Mermista yelled. “I’m trying to concentrate!” 

Sensing the creature about to strike, Mermista dove underwater, her legs turning into a long tail. The smoke lashed the water with whiplike speed, but she was too fast for it. Still, Mermista didn’t know how long she and Sea Hawk could keep this up without help. Frosta was busy putting out fires throughout the city. Queen Angella and Swift Wind were helping the injured into Castle Bright Moon, and Perfuma was growing a vine barrier around the castle so people could take shelter inside. But where were Glimmer and Bow? Where was – 

“Hey! Why don’t you pick on someone your own size?” 

On the nearest bridge that crossed the river, there stood an eight-foot-tall woman with a giant sword and glowing hair. Beside her, Bow aimed an arrow at the smoke, and Glimmer shot an orb of light toward it. 

“Finally!” Mermista grinned. 

“My crew!” Sea Hawk shouted in delight. “Get that beast!” 

But She-Ra didn’t move, staring down the creature from the edge of the bridge. 

“No,” she called, realization dawning in her eyes. “Everyone, get back! I know what that is.” 

Mermista hesitated, about to make another wave, when the smoke shifted away from her and Sea Hawk. It floated up to the bridge, slowly condensing itself into human form. She-Ra gestured for Bow and Glimmer to get behind her, and Mermista watched in horror as the tall woman walked toward the creature. 

“I know who.” 

***

_I know you_ , Adora thought. With long, purposeful strides, she approached the wispy figure that was still taking shape before her. The creature that had been terrorizing the city wasn’t a monster – at least, not in the way that the others thought. The closer Adora got, the more her vision tunneled, until she could only see its silhouette in the foreground. 

“ _Adora._ ” 

“Shadow Weaver.” 

The chuckle that followed seemed to swallow the darkness and leave Adora blind. She gulped as a smoky hand cupped her cheek. Suddenly, Adora saw the locks of dark hair that fell around a familiar red mask, the maroon cloak that ended in ribbons. She and Shadow Weaver were the only ones around. 

“ _Yes, it’s me._ ” 

“Where did my friends go?” Adora demanded. “What did you do to them?” 

“ _Nothing. I blocked out the world so we could speak._ ” 

“I have nothing to say,” Adora shot back, gripping the hilt of her sword. 

“ _Are you sure?_ ” Shadow Weaver asked. 

Her voice sounded sad. All at once, Adora felt a spike of regret. It shook through her, burning from her head to the tips of her toes, all the way down. But it wasn’t the same sensation as when Shadow Weaver had tried to wipe her memories. The last time Adora had suffered like this was… On Mystacor. After Shadow Weaver’s spies had failed to capture Adora, the sorceress had used her magic to appear as a smoke ghost. She’d cornered Adora in the Lunarium and tried to get her to return to the Fright Zone. Adora had stayed strong, then; she would just have to do it again. 

“You can’t lie to me anymore, Shadow Weaver! This isn’t even you. It’s a projection.” 

“ _Does it matter? You should come back, Adora,_ ” she crooned. “ _These people don’t care about you._ ” 

The smoke turned into a hazy image of Hordak, giving her a rare smile. It was the approving look he reserved for Force Captains that had achieved success on the battlefield; Adora had seen it from afar, but never up close. 

“ _The Princesses aren’t invested in your well-being,_ ” said the shadow that was Hordak. “ _They want to use you for your raw strength._ " 

“That’s not true,” Adora protested. She swung her sword half-heartedly at the smoke, as if to dispel it. This wasn’t even the real Hordak; why was she arguing with it? 

“ _You’re a tool to them. Among the Horde, you would be a hero. I see what you really are._ ” 

“Yeah?” Adora gritted her teeth. “What’s that?” 

“ _A warrior_ ,” Hordak intoned. “ _And a righteous person._ ” 

Adora stumbled, but she’d tripped over nothing. Turning her head, she realized that Hordak – the image of him – was gone. But she was trapped in darkness nonetheless, which meant that Shadow Weaver was still working her magic – 

A thin, clawed hand found her shoulder. 

“ _Hey, Adora–_ “ 

She screamed and whipped around, to find herself face-to-face with Catra. 

“ _Sheesh! It’s me. What’s gotten into you?_ ” 

“…Catra?” Adora raised a brow. She was pretty sure that this was another one of Shadow Weaver’s tricks. After all, Adora had been with Catra that night; _this_ Catra wasn’t dressed in a purple suit, but the horde outfit that she usually wore. 

Still, Adora ached to hold her. 

“ _Yeah,_ ” the image laughed, its ears twitching. “ _Listen, Adora, don’t you want to come back? You know, if you did, you could see me every day._ ” 

Adora stiffened. The longing in her chest turned to revulsion. 

“Stop it.” 

“ _We’d always be together, like before._ ” The image of Catra smiled, cradling Adora’s cheek in one wispy hand. “ _Nothing would come between us._ ” 

“I said stop!” 

“ _Come back, Adora,_ ” said the shadow, “ _Come back to the people that really love you–_ “ 

Adora slammed her sword against the ground. Cracks appeared in the darkness; for an instant, she saw the outline of the bridge; Bow’s face, frozen in fear; a sliver of the moonlit sky – 

“Give it up, Shadow Weaver! I know that isn’t Hordak or Catra; it’s you!” 

Shadow Weaver blinked back into existence, right in front of her. 

“How dare you use her against me,” Adora growled. 

“ _Catra?_ ” From behind the mask, Shadow Weaver’s voice emerged harsh and unforgiving. “ _If you want her, you can have her. She was only ever holding you back._ ” 

“That’s funny, because she said the same thing about me–" 

She raised her sword, the point dangling a few centimeters above the ground. Her gaze alone could have leveled an ordinary opponent, but that was one thing Shadow Weaver wasn’t. 

“–And then she changed her mind.” 

In one sharp movement, Adora thrust the sword forward, cutting through the smoke. A scream surrounded her as the image of Shadow Weaver curled in on itself, and Adora’s grip on the sword slipped. Her hands shaking, she slashed at the smoke until the illusion was on the brink of collapse. With a final stroke, the darkness dissolved. The nighttime air rushed in, and Adora fell onto her knees, gasping. A sob escaped her as she took everything in – the screams of onlookers, her friends running toward her, the smoke rising into the sky. 

“Adora! What happened?” Bow crouched down beside her. 

“I tried to get through with my light powers, but it didn't work,” Glimmer said. 

They helped Adora to her feet, though she felt like dead weight. 

“I-it’s fine. She’s gone.” 

Glimmer gave her a baffled look. 

“Who, Adora?” She asked. 

And another voice: “ _Am I?_ ” 

Adora winced, a painful ringing in her ears. The smoke had whisked back toward the bridge. It flew toward them, a spear hurtling through the dark. Adora leaned down to shield Glimmer and Bow, her long hair falling around the three of them like a golden halo. But the smoke didn't even touch them. Slowly, Adora rose. 

“Glimmer!” Bow swept her up into a hug. 

“Bow, are you all right?” She leaned into him, resting her cheek against his shoulder. 

“No,” Adora whispered. 

They turned to face her; she was looking down into the river, horrified. It was still, but for a ripple effect at the spot where Mermista stood. Tendrils of smoke still hung from her ponytail. Shadow Weaver had vanished for good, but Mermista seemed to have emerged from a pale of fog. The whites of her eyes had gone red, and Adora realized that she was shaking. 

“Mermista!” Sea Hawk screamed. He swam through the cold water as though it didn’t even affect him. “Oh – please,” he begged, taking Mermista into his arms. She sagged against his chest, her breathing ragged. “Mermista, please–“ 

She-Ra didn’t hesitate. She stepped over the guardrail of the bridge and jumped. 

But it took all of Adora’s strength not to change back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! *screams* Can you tell this chapter took ages to figure out? ~~And then AO3 posted it twice and I was all, "WHAT IS HAPPENING?"~~ I hope you enjoyed it. Let me know what you thought! <3
> 
> Next time: we catch up with Catra as she returns to the Fright Zone >:3


	7. Future

Catra did not stay in Bright Moon. Under the cover of silvery branches and dark green leaves, she fled. The speeder she’d hidden in the Whispering Woods was as she left it, untouched by beasts or Rebellion scouts. Powering up the aircraft, Catra rose above the canopy. She sped over the treetops, leaving a trail of exhaust in her wake. Flying in plain sight was a risky move; anyone could spot her. But the forest was difficult to navigate, especially at night, and all Catra wanted to do was to quell the thudding of her heart. For that, she needed to fly as fast as possible. 

With the wind whipping through her hair, Catra found it easier to breathe. Still, the rush of fresh air could only hold back her tears. Nothing could stop her from thinking. 

_Good going, Catra. You had one chance, and you messed it up. Things will never get better now._

“Fuck,” she hissed. Her claws tightened around the steering wheel of the speeder. 

_And you left Adora when she was in trouble. So what if her friends were with her, or if she told you to go? You turned tail and ran._

Catra swallowed a sob. Driving like this wasn’t smart. She slowed down enough to avoid crashing into the rock face that marked the outskirts of the Crimson Waste; from there, it was an hour’s ride to the Fright Zone. She didn’t want to go back, but what was the alternative? After all she’d done, how did she expect Adora to forgive her? Did she think they would kiss and make it better? How could they, when Adora didn't even know that Catra was in love with her? 

“Stupid Adora!” Catra yelled, kicking the side of the speeder. “You idiot! Why didn’t you listen to me?” 

_Well. She asked if you love her, and you didn’t say anything._

“Why didn’t I say anything?” Catra mumbled to herself. 

_Because you're a coward, ‘fraidy-cat._

Catra put the speeder in neutral gear before sinking to her knees. She shook her head, hiding her face in her hands. Maybe she was a coward. She could have confessed, or insisted on telling Adora the truth about Entrapta, but instead she – 

“That’s it,” she gasped. “Entrapta.” 

***

Not long after, Catra slunk into the main compound of the Fright Zone. Before doing anything else, she had to report to Lord Hordak. After all, Catra was his Second-In-Command now, not some random cadet. She’d already taken a risk by leaving the Fright Zone without his permission, but Scorpia had covered for her. Hopefully, that would be enough. She headed toward his office– 

When she spotted Shadow Weaver, hobbling down the corridor. She was coming from the direction of Hordak’s office and looked more out of sorts than usual. Her hair hung limply around her mask, and her robes were damp with sweat. 

“What happened to you?” Catra asked, wincing. 

To her surprise, Shadow Weaver stopped before her. 

“Force Captain. I reported the outcome of my mission to Lord Hordak.” 

Catra crossed her arms. She had no idea what Shadow Weaver was talking about. 

“…And?” 

“If all goes well in the coming days, it will have been a success.” 

A mission – wait. Was she behind the destruction in Bright Moon? Catra glanced over her shoulder, but Shadow Weaver had already drifted down the hall. Damn it, she didn’t have time to think about Shadow Weaver’s involvement in all of this. She approached the door to Hordak’s office, where a soldier was standing guard. 

“I’m here to meet with Lord Hordak.” 

“Force Captain.” The soldier saluted and pressed a buzzer on the wall. “One moment.” 

Catra squinted, trying to peer through the soldier’s mask. That voice sounded uncomfortably familiar, but Catra couldn’t place it. 

“Who are you?” 

The soldier pressed a button on the side of her helmet. It came off with a hiss, revealing a blond woman with pale green eyes. She seemed to be a few years older than Catra. 

“AJ, Captain. Third Officer in Lord Hordak’s Security Detail.” 

“Huh.” 

Just then, the doors opened, and a gravelly voice spoke: 

“Enter.” 

Catra stepped inside, her eyes glowing blue and yellow as they adjusted to the dim lighting of the room. Hordak’s office was unnecessarily dark, save for the light fixtures illuminating his desk. There was probably a symbolic meaning there, but she wasn’t going to read further into it. 

“Force Captain Catra.” 

Hordak had his back to the door, yet it seemed he recognized Catra’s footfall. He stood behind the desk, looking over a holographic map of Etheria that rested in mid-air. His impish spy sat in his own chair and was playing with a colorful puzzle Catra had seen Kyle use before – a Rubik’s Cube. The imp must have confiscated it from the cadet barracks. Catra clicked her heels, though she wasn’t wearing any shoes, and saluted. 

“Lord Hordak, I completed my reconnaissance mission.” 

“Good. And?” 

At last, Hordak turned around, and Catra was surprised to see that he was wearing glasses. 

“Uh...” 

“Is something the matter?” 

“No – I just didn’t know you wore glasses. Sir.” 

Hordak gave her a long look. 

“My eyes are bad,” he growled. “Your report, Force Captain?” 

“The Whispering Woods are in bad shape after our attack on Bright Moon, but they still aren’t easy to get through.” 

“You did, though.” 

“Yes, in a few hours.” 

“And did you encounter any members of the Rebellion?” 

“…She-Ra.” 

“Ah,” Hordak murmured, raising his eyes. “And how is Adora?” 

“She – she’s fine, Sir. Normal,” Catra amended, though it sounded more like a question than a statement. “As strong as she’s ever been. We fought; I – distracted her for a while. Something happened in Bright Moon, in the meantime…” 

“You look concerned, Force Captain,” Hordak said. 

“Sir, I… Saw Shadow Weaver on my way here. She mentioned some kind of mission; I was just wondering what that was.” 

“Yes. When I heard from Force Captain Scorpia that you left for the Whispering Woods, I sent Shadow Weaver to Bright Moon–“ Hordak cleared his throat. “While we’re on the subject: next time, before you go on a mission, I want you to discuss it with me. And take security with you; this isn’t a carnival we’re running here. My officers can’t go joyriding around the Whispering Woods, even if their purposes are noble.” 

“Understood, Sir. Did… You send Shadow Weaver after me?” 

“No, it was a separate mission. I thought it better not to tell her of your whereabouts. I know you dislike one another.” 

Catra’s gaze dropped to her feet, and she muttered a quiet “Thank you.” 

Hordak nodded. Looking straight at him, Catra was struck by his red, pupil-less eyes, and how it seemed that he was looking in all directions at once. 

“Force Captain, let me ask you a question. Do you consider me an evil man?” 

“I mean... We are called the “Evil Horde,” Sir.” 

“One person’s evil could be another's good,” he returned with a shrug. 

“You’ve only ever helped me, Sir. I can’t say the same for everyone here,” Catra added under her breath. “But I think you have your goals, and you reward people who help you achieve them.” 

“That's right. I made you my Second-In-Command because I believe you can do that. Am I right, Force Captain Catra?” 

“Yes, Sir,” she said. 

“Good. Dismissed.” 

She bowed, a polite smile on her face. Catra held the smile as she left the room, only dropping it when she was alone in the hall. She had said yes, but in her mind, she’d hesitated. 

This was what Catra had worked for, to win Lord Hordak’s trust and earn a high-ranking position in the military. Yet she sought it out of a need for security, not because she had any particular loyalty to Hordak. As long as Catra was useful to him, she would be safe. But what if she outlived her usefulness? She had no special powers, like Shadow Weaver, that would ensure her a place in the Horde indefinitely. If Shadow Weaver ever retook her position as Hordak’s Second-In-Command, Catra would have to fight for every second of life. 

She would never be safe here. 

Why had Catra ever wanted this job? She’d hungered to finally beat Adora at something, but now Adora was gone. Even when they were both cadets, Catra had sometimes been lonely. But she had never felt Adora’s absence as keenly as she did in this moment, when she had the recognition she had always wanted. 

_This isn’t what I want anymore._

She thought of Adora, her bright smile and flushed cheeks, and a truly dangerous thought strayed through her mind: 

_This was never what I wanted._

Once, Adora had offered Catra a future in the Rebellion. Maybe, despite everything, she could still have it. 

But she needed to work fast.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was hella fun to write.
> 
> AJ (Michalka) is Catra's voice actress. xD
> 
> Next time, Catra talks to Entrapta.


	8. Why Are You Telling Me This?

The twisting hallways of the main compound formed a maze that Catra had memorized by heart. At the far end of the building complex, Entrapta had repurposed an old hangar into an engineering workshop. Even at this late hour, light emanated through the crack under the hangar door. Entrapta had to be the only person on Alpha Shift that was still awake; she was always poking through databases or building a new piece of technology. If she slept, Catra couldn’t tell when. 

She stood outside, her fingers lingering over the electronic pad on the adjacent wall. Catra thought about keying in the override code, but she decided to knock. 

“Come in!” Entrapta shouted. 

The door whooshed open, and Catra walked inside. Entrapta was sitting at her desk, doing… Calculus? Catra didn’t ask. She wasn’t bad at math, but it bored her. Not Entrapta, though, who was typing equations into a programming software. 

“Catra, hi!” She pulled her goggles off and set them on top of her head. “Didn’t expect to see you here so late – wow, your face looks kind of red. Are you okay?” 

“I’m fine,” Catra muttered. “Listen, I’ve got to tell you something.” 

“Me too.” Entrapta waved her over to a computer terminal. Her robot, a Horde machine turned semi-sentient encyclopedia, was hooked up to it with wires. 

“I’ve finally uploaded all my knowledge to Emily.” 

Catra stared blankly, but then she remembered. _The robot is Emily._

“What kind of knowledge?” 

“Horde engineering designs, notes about the power capacity of the Black Garnet and how to harness it, thoughts on interfacing First Ones tech with Horde machinery…” One of her pigtails patted Emily’s steel body. “You know, the works. We can take this info anywhere.” 

Catra’s breath hitched. Her plan was quickly unfolding into either a best-case or worst-case scenario, but she couldn’t tell which yet. With Entrapta’s information, the Rebellion would gain a huge advantage over the Horde; however, if she were caught escaping with it, then Hordak would raise hell. If Catra was going to get this girl out of the Fright Zone, it would have to be now. With Emily. 

“What did you want to tell me?” 

“You might want to sit down for this.” 

Entrapta fell back into the spinny chair at her desk. She pushed a stool toward Catra, who leapt on top of it. 

“So… I realized something recently, and it has to do with you. “I promise, I didn’t know about this before, so I wasn’t lying to you–“ 

Suddenly, Entrapta grabbed her hand, looking it over. Then she leaned in, perilously close to Catra’s face, and smiled. 

“Sweaty palms, flushed cheeks, visible nervousness… I don’t know why I didn’t see it before! Those are some of the clearest signs. How fascinating.” 

“Ugh, what are you babbling about?” 

Entrapta rolled her eyes. 

“You are experiencing the physiological symptoms signs of a condition known as “love,”” she said slowly. “Is it me? I’m flattered, Catra, but you know I’m married to my work.” 

“What?” Catra yelled. “No! That’s not even what I wanted to tell you!” 

“Huh. Awkward. So what _did_ you want to say?” 

Catra took a long, stabilizing breath. This conversation was already killing her. 

“You remember when I told you that the other Princesses left you here in the Fright Zone and weren’t coming back for you?” 

“Yes.” 

“That’s not true. They didn’t mean to leave you here. Actually… They thought you died during the rescue mission, when the security doors closed on you. They’re mourning you, as a war casualty.” 

Catra knew Entrapta would be surprised, but she didn’t expect to see the shock unfold in her eyes so acutely. It wasn’t her fault, but seeing Entrapta’s expression, Catra still felt guilty. 

“How do you…” 

“Adora told me.” 

“Adora…?” Entrapta asked, her tone wavering between understanding and confusion. 

“I don’t have time to explain!” Catra hissed. “The point is, you can leave this place. Go back to Dryl, rejoin the Princess Alliance, whatever. They’ll forgive you.” 

“I don’t understand! Why are you telling me this?” 

“Because I’m staking my own life on the hope that they will!” 

“…You’re leaving.” 

“Yes,” Catra sighed. “And I want you to leave, too. You can have your old life back. Your kingdom, your friends. Your family–“ 

“I need to be alone right now.” 

“Okay, but–“ 

Entrapta clenched her fists, her entire body tensing up. 

“I said, I need to be alone. Let me think, okay?” 

“Yeah, I’ll just... Let you do that.” 

“Thank you.” 

Catra nodded and stepped out of the room. For a few minutes, she stood in silence. She was seized by the fear that Entrapta wouldn’t agree to leave, and then what would she do? Go back to Bright Moon alone and explain that Entrapta was alive; she'd just rather work for the Horde than return to her friends? But hey, the Rebellion could have Catra! Forget Princesses; she was the queen of reliability – 

The doors whooshed open, and Entrapta appeared. Her face looked puffy, like she’d been crying, but her eyes were dry. 

“I’ll do it,” she said. 

“What?” Catra gaped at her. 

“I said, I’ll do it.” 

“Just like that?” 

Entrapta smiled subtly, as if she were sharing a secret. 

“You seem to be operating under the mistaken assumption that I only care about my work. The reality is different: I prioritize my work, but I care about people, too. I wanted to stay here because of the opportunity to work with Horde technology – and because I thought my friends had abandoned me here. Now, all of my knowledge has been uploaded to Emily’s database, and I find out that my friends didn’t leave me after all. In that case, why shouldn’t I go back?” 

Catra blinked. 

“That makes sense, but why would you trust me so easily? I could be lying to you.” 

Entrapta laughed. 

“You’re my friend too, Catra. You wouldn’t lie.” 

“You’d be surprised.” 

“I don’t think so.” 

“Then you need to leave now. Go during the shift change, when all the robots are moving around. No one will notice Emily, and if anyone asks what you're doing, you tell them you have orders from me to... Search the Crimson Waste for minerals. You have about ten minutes.” 

“Gotcha – wait. What about Scorpia?” 

“That’s why I’ll be leaving after you. I need to talk to her first.” 

“Are you sure that’s a smart idea?” 

“I can’t go without telling her. It wouldn’t be right.” 

Entrapta pursed her lips. She reached into one of her enormous pockets, pulled out a syringe filled with a clear liquid, and handed it to Catra. 

“What is _this_?” 

“Sleeping drug. In case she tries to fight you. I know you don’t want to hurt her, and besides, you wouldn’t win.” 

“You think she’s going to try to stop me?” 

“Maybe. She’s not like you. Everything she knows is here. At the very least, she won’t leave.” 

Catra didn’t know how to react to that, so instead, she said, “It is super weird that you have a sleeping drug in your pocket.” 

Entrapta grinned. 

“Keeping my work safe is important to me. The way Adora’s important to you. I figured, at some point, one of us would need a backup plan. Looks like that person’s you.”

With that, Entrapta slipped back into the hangar, the doors sliding shut behind her. For the thousandth time during their conversation, Catra was left in silence. Entrapta had to be the weirdest person she had ever met. 

But also, perhaps, the bravest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love Entrapta.
> 
> Next time, Catra confronts Scorpia.
> 
> We're getting closer to that Catradora reunion <3


	9. A Decision for Catra

Catra let dawn rise before she went to see Scorpia. Her appearance was perfectly timed; after all, she stopped by Scorpia’s room every morning so they could go to breakfast together. Catra knew it was a risky decision not to leave immediately, as Entrapta had suggested, but a nagging reluctance held her back. The pain she’d felt when Adora left the Horde without her was still fresh, even if it no longer stung, and Catra wouldn’t do the same thing to Scorpia. Call it pride or integrity; it was undoubtedly stupid. What a time for her to develop a conscience. Still, knocking on the door to Scorpia’s room, Catra told herself: _No regrets for what you’re about to do._

She was almost desperate enough to believe it. 

“Door’s open; let yourself in!” Scorpia called, in her usual cheery tone. Knots formed in the pit of Catra’s stomach; nonetheless, she pressed the buzzer by the door and walked inside. 

Scorpia was sitting on the bed, reading a magazine. Seeing Catra, she sat up slightly. 

“Good morning! How’d you sleep?” 

Catra shrugged. 

“You know. Badly.” 

Scorpia’s brow furrowed in concern, and the nagging feeling that Catra sought to push down surfaced as guilt. 

_Damn it, don’t make this hard,_ she thought. 

“Aww, are you doing okay?” 

“I’m fine. Just tired.” 

“Hey–“ Scorpia leaned in, her voice lowering to a whisper. “–Did Lord Hordak buy your whole “reconnaissance” excuse?” 

“Yeah.” 

“Oh, good. Though, you know, you can’t keep going back to Bright Moon to see Adora. Someone might get suspicious, and you don’t want to give people the wrong idea.” 

Catra knew she shouldn’t ask, but she did: 

“Like what?” 

“I don’t know, that you’d desert or something?” Scorpia laughed and turned back to the magazine she’d been reading. 

For a few seconds, Catra was quiet. Then a growl ripped itself from her throat. 

“Why did I send that letter?” She yelled, clutching her head in her hands. 

“I don’t know; why did you?” Scorpia asked, not looking up from her magazine. 

Catra narrowed her eyes and went to stand beside Scorpia’s bed. 

“Not helping,” she said. “What are you reading?” 

“ _How to Keep Your Claws Healthy: A Primer for Scorpion Ladies_.” 

“There’s a magazine about that?” 

Scorpia grinned. “No, it’s a special edition of _Arachnid Monthly_. Did you know there are special cleaning solutions for claws? I can’t believe I haven’t heard about this before!” 

“Heh, well… The more you know…” 

Catra sat down on the edge of the bed. Ordinarily, she would have been annoyed that Scorpia was distracted, but now, it gave her the chance to think. After what seemed like ages – and still not enough time – Scorpia finally set the magazine aside and looked over at Catra. 

“By the way, where’s Entrapta?” 

“Gone.” 

“Oh, man, she already went to breakfast? She said she would wait for me!” 

Catra had never stood up as slowly as she did now. 

“No, I mean… She’s gone.” 

Scorpia frowned, tilting her head. 

“What do you mean?” 

“She left the Horde.” 

At that, Scorpia also stood up. She was so much taller than Catra that the idea of confronting Scorpia suddenly frightened her. She knew very well what the Force Captain was capable of doing. 

_No regrets_ , Catra repeated to herself. 

“What do you mean, Entrapta left?” Scorpia laughed, as if she couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “Are you guys trying to prank me again? Come on, you know I’m gullible… I guess that’s my own fault, but still…” 

“It’s not a prank.” 

Scorpia pursed her lips, eyes narrowing until only the black of her irises was visible. Catra had never seen her like this before, but she knew suspicion and anger, and they were written across her face. 

“What the hell are you talking about?” 

“Entrapta went back to the Rebellion. She left last night.” 

“Why? How could she leave us like that? We’re her friends!” 

“I believe she… Weighed the options and decided that was best.” 

Something must have clicked in Scorpia’s mind, because she took her time before responding. 

“Catra… How do you know all this?” She asked slowly. Her gaze was probing, maybe even hopeful that Catra wouldn’t say the inevitable. But it was impossible to delay for longer. 

_You’re doing the right thing_ , Catra reminded herself. It still felt as though the words came from someone else: her stupid conscience, maybe – or Adora, hundreds of miles away. So Catra kept talking to herself, until finally, she could recognize the voice in her head as her own. _That’s right. This is what you have to do. No regrets._

“I sent Entrapta.” 

Scorpia’s claws snapped shut. 

“You what?” She shouted. “How could you do that?” 

“Because I’m leaving. I was going to ask you to come with me.” 

“I don’t believe this–“ Scorpia started to pace around the room. “This is… Of all people, I never expected you to do this. I trusted you, Catra. I thought you were my friend.” 

“I am your friend!” Catra shot back. “Why do you think I’m here? I could have left with Entrapta.” 

“So why didn’t you?” Scorpia asked curtly. 

“Because I thought you’d consider coming with me! I don’t want to leave you behind.” 

Trembling, Scorpia turned on her heels to face her. 

“That’s impossible.” 

“No, it isn’t! Scorpia, you know life sucks here, even for Force Captains. Your job is to invade kingdoms that don’t want to belong to the Horde, and to kill anyone that resists!” 

Scorpia opened her mouth to say something, but Catra continued. 

“How is that better than joining the Rebellion? Even if the other Princesses don’t like you, you’d still have Entrapta and me–“ 

“I don’t care about the others!” Scorpia shrieked. “Catra, my people are here! My _family_ is here! What do you think Hordak would do to my dad if I left? To everyone in the Crimson Waste?” 

She stared mutely at Scorpia. 

“Do you think my kingdom wanted to be part of the Horde? Because we didn’t! Hordak held my father at gunpoint and forced him to sign a treaty. I might have been young when it happened, but I was there. I remember.” 

Catra felt a bitter taste in her mouth, and she realized she’d bit the inside of her cheek so hard that she was bleeding. 

“I might not have power over the Black Garnet anymore, but I’m still a Princess. I’ve never forgotten that I have a responsibility to my kingdom.” 

“Why do you assume that your leaving would cause so much trouble? Your dad could claim he doesn’t know anything, and it would be the truth–“ 

“So what?” Scorpia said through gritted teeth. “The truth only matters to Lord Hordak if it’s _his_ truth. To him, my father is a threat he’s managed to contain, and part of that is thanks to me. _I’m_ the one they both trust. If I leave, do you think Hordak will let my dad off easy?” 

Catra shook her head. 

“It would be a death sentence.” 

“Exactly. So no, I can’t leave with you.” 

“But–“ Catra gazed up at Scorpia. “You’d be free.” 

“That’s just it.” Scorpia smiled sadly. Her eyes were bright with tears, but Catra could see the bitterness behind them. “I wouldn’t be.” 

She took a step toward Catra, who stuffed her hands in her pockets. With her right hand, she felt the barrel of the syringe. 

“I- I don’t even know what to do now!” Scorpia said, her voice feverish. “You shouldn’t have come here, Catra! Shadow Weaver told me to keep an eye on you; what am I supposed to say if she asks me where you went? That I have no idea? She’d use her magic on me and figure out that I was lying. And she’d know everything I just told you.” 

Catra’s heart sank. Hearing those words, she realized that Scorpia was right; Catra had made a mistake. By telling Scorpia about her plan to leave, Catra had put her at risk. She hadn’t done right by her at all. 

_No, think! Maybe there’s a way to fix this._

All at once, a second realization crashed down on her. She could still keep Scorpia safe, but only if she got close enough– 

“I’m sorry,” Catra said, moving toward her. “I didn’t think about that–“ 

“Yeah, because you don’t have any attachments!” Scorpia poked her chest, leaning down so they were about eye-level with each other. “You only care about what’s best for you!” 

Catra’s fingers closed around the plunger of the syringe. In one swift motion, she pulled it out and thrust the needle into Scorpia’s neck. 

“C-Catra–“ Scorpia’s eyes widened. 

“You’re wrong,” she said, pushing down on the syringe. 

Almost instantly, the sleeping drug took effect. Scorpia’s eyes became half-lidded, then closed. She went limp, but Catra managed to catch her in her arms. As she lowered her friend to the floor, Catra saw that Scorpia’s face was frozen in shock. _No regrets_ , Catra told herself. She had to keep that mantra in mind, or she’d regret this moment like every other. 

Instead, Catra told herself what would happen: Scorpia wouldn’t show up for training that day. A guard would come looking for her, and they would find her on the floor in her room, unconscious. They’d revive her, and she’d tell them about the scuffle between her and Catra. That she’d tried to prevent Catra from leaving, but she didn’t notice the syringe until it was too late. The guard would believe her; Hordak and Shadow Weaver would believe her. No one would know what had really happened between her and Catra. Scorpia might hate her for the rest of their lives, but she wouldn’t die because of Catra’s choices. 

This was the first time Catra had truly made a decision for herself. Now she had to get out of here alive, to make sure it wouldn’t be the last time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got chills writing this chapter. But this is not the end of Scorpia's story! She'll be back. ;)
> 
> On another subject, thank you so much for your support and kind words about _Somebody to Love_! ♡ I always enjoy hearing from y'all, and I'm really happy to be sharing this story with all of you.
> 
> Next time: we find out what happened to Mermista, and the members of the Princess Alliance receive a more than unexpected guest!


	10. The Return (Part 1)

She spent the night in a fever dream. 

Ever since Mermista was a child, her dreams had been uncommonly vivid. Her father liked to joke that it was a side effect of having powers; all that extra magic had to go somewhere. Why not her dreams? 

The idea sounded silly, but she could believe it. Most of Mermista’s dreams involved the ocean, and she’d spent so much time there, using her magic to swim with the dolphins and whales in the deep. It was no surprise that her travels through the blue expanse had carried over to her dreams. Whenever she had a boring day as the ruler of Salineas, Mermista looked forward to bedtime, because the world that awaited her was more exciting than real life. 

But this dream was different, as though something were pressing down on her mind and forcing Mermista to relive the past. She was back at the Celebration, waist-deep in water, but unable to move. Mermista saw the smoke monster approach her; she felt its tendrils curl around her body and soak into her skin as her vision blurred. Just when she figured the dream was over, Mermista would see herself from the monster’s perspective, wild-eyed and helpless. Then the nightmare would repeat itself, looping over and over until it barely felt like a dream at all. 

When Mermista woke up, she had no sense of place. The back of her shirt was damp with sweat; she half-expected to be at the Celebration, struggling for her life. But she noticed the pink and yellow walls decorated with murals, and she realized that she was inside Castle Bright Moon. The city hospital must have been overflowing with wounded, because Queen Angella had transformed the Great Hall of the castle into an infirmary. Mermista tilted her head just enough to see the person in the cot beside hers, a Plumerian man whose legs were both in splints. Burn marks peeked out from beneath the bandages wrapped around his right arm. She shivered, turning away. 

On the other side of her cot, Sea Hawk was sleeping in a chair. 

“Hi, dork,” Mermista whispered. As much as it hurt to move, she reached out and touched his arm. He stirred instantly. 

“Mermista! Are you all right?” 

Sea Hawk leaned forward and took her hand. 

“I’m okay,” she murmured, smiling. “…Are you hurt?” 

“No, no.” 

“Good.” Mermista drew her arm away; it had started to ache. Sea Hawk scooted his chair closer, so he could lean on the edge of her bed. “You look as tired as I feel. How long have I been asleep?” 

“Just one night, but you gave everyone quite the scare.” 

“Have you been here the whole time?” 

“Of course.” 

“What… Happened? Do I have any injuries?” 

“Not that I can see. Your eyes are a little red, but you’re the picture of loveliness.” 

She snorted. “Thanks, Sea Hawk. Ugh, I feel like I’ve been punched everywhere. Did you find out where the smoke monster came from?” 

“It was a… Projection of the sorceress that raised Adora in the Fright Zone.” 

“Oh,” Mermista breathed, trying to hide her concern. She didn’t know how much power this sorceress held or how much of it was still influencing her, but it was not a good sign that she’d suffered through a seemingly endless nightmare. “Explains the headache.” 

Sea Hawk furrowed his brow. “Your head hurts?” 

“Yeah. Magic does that sometimes.” She licked her lips, glancing beyond Sea Hawk to the nightstand that had a glass of water on it. “I’m probably dehydrated, too. Can you–“ 

She gestured, and he turned his head. 

“Oh! Yes,” Sea Hawk said, reaching for the glass. He held it up to her lips, and Mermista drank until the water was gone. 

“Do you want more? I can get you breakfast, too, if you’re hungry. And I should let the others know that you woke up!” 

“Not right now, Sea Hawk,” she mumbled, resting her hand on top of his. “Thank you for staying with me.” 

He blinked, then laughed gently. 

“I don’t know why you find that surprising.” 

“Yeah, well…” Mermista pouted. She would have crossed her arms if she could. “For how annoying you are, you can also be pretty nice.” 

He shifted closer, brushing her bangs out of her eyes, and kissed her cheek. Smiling, Mermista leaned her head against his. 

“You’re so dumb.” 

“But you love me,” he teased. 

She sighed and closed her eyes, squeezing his hand. Mermista didn’t want to be alone with her thoughts yet, but if Sea Hawk was here, she could probably bear it. 

“I do love you,” she agreed. 

***

“– Okay, listen. I thought about everything, and I reached a conclusion: Catra wasn’t involved in the attack on Bright Moon. In Shadow Weaver’s illusion, Catra wasn’t wearing the clothes she wore to the Celebration, which means that Shadow Weaver didn’t even know she was here. Besides, there’s no way Catra would have willingly collaborated with Shadow Weaver, especially not now that she’s Hordak’s Second-In-Command–“ 

“Adora, you’ve been at this for hours,” Bow said, watching her pace up and down the ramparts of the castle. “Do you… Maybe want to take a break and sit down?” 

“No! I still don’t know why Catra showed up in the first place! If she really is in love with me, why didn’t she say so?” 

“Because she’s afraid?” 

Adora growled and shook her head.

“I need to give it more thought."

She had been walking around the ramparts of the castle all morning. Down in the field, Perfuma was fortifying the plant barrier around the castle while Queen Angella supervised. Frosta had spent the early morning helping in the infirmary, but now she’d climbed the tower to join Adora, Bow, and Glimmer on the ramparts. They were supposed to be on lookout, to help Perfuma and the Queen in the event of a sudden Horde attack. For her part, Adora wasn’t doing much looking. She had enough awareness of her surroundings not to crash into the walls, but she nearly collided with Frosta as the Princess of Snows emerged from the tower. 

“Ah– sorry, Frosta!” Adora yelped, before moving away.

“It’s… Fine,” she demurred. “What is Adora doing?” 

“It’s her way of venting," muttered Glimmer. 

“Why did I send her away?” 

“Who is she talking about?” Frosta whispered to Bow. 

“Now I’ll never know why she kissed me!” 

“I see,” Frosta deadpanned. 

“Is there any other reason besides the fact that she _likes_ you?” Glimmer yelled. She stomped over to Adora and grabbed her arm. “Snap out of it! This isn’t healthy, Adora! You just have to wait and see if she comes back!” 

“I agree,” Bow said. “Thinking about this is pointless. It’s not like you can march into the Fright Zone and say, “Hey, Catra, I know I’m in enemy territory right now, but how do you feel about me?”” 

Adora scoffed. 

“I know that–“ 

“You chose to leave the Horde, Adora. You can’t make that decision for her.” 

“I _know_!” Adora shouted, anger rippling through her body. “But I– what if I never see her again?" 

It took a moment for Bow to respond. 

“If you’re worried that you’ll never see her again, then you should ask yourself why you feel that way.” 

Adora tightened her fists, as if that could suppress her frustration. She just wanted Catra back – 

“Hey! Come here!” 

Frosta was leaning over the ramparts, eyes narrowed as she gazed out toward the Whispering Woods. 

“What’s that?” She pointed. 

Adora squinted, following Frosta’s line of sight. Although her thoughts were scattered, she willed herself to focus. Something had emerged from the forest and was skittering across the field toward Perfuma and Angella. 

“It’s… It’s a robot,” she said, before reaching for her sword. “A Horde robot.” 

***

The Princess Alliance gathered in the courtyard, staring down the robot as it approached. Adora had turned into She-Ra; Bow had his arrows ready; Glimmer and her mother stood in the same fighting stance, flanked by Queen Angella’s guards; and Perfuma and Frosta had their fists up, prepared for whatever came next. 

“Where’s Sea Hawk?” Bow asked. 

“I think he’s taking care of Mermista,” Adora murmured. “It’s fine; we can handle one robot.” 

“Should we make the first move?” Perfuma asked. 

“Wait,” Adora said. She’d seen plenty of machines like this one; the Horde generally used them as patrol bots, but sometimes they were equipped with bombs or lasers. “Let’s see what it does.” 

The robot came to a stop, and the hatch on top of it swung open. _Someone’s inside,_ Adora realized. She held her breath, hoping– 

–Only to see the last person the Alliance could have expected. A short female figure used her pigtails to lift herself out of the robot, sliding down its side and landing on her feet. Her hair formed a hand-like shape, and she waved. It was the Princess of Dryl. 

“Hi, guys! Uh… Long time no see!” 

“ _Entrapta?_ ” 

Many things happened in that moment. Adora’s jaw dropped all the way to the ground; Entrapta laughed nervously, twiddling her hair-thumbs and real thumbs at the same time. Glimmer and Bow burst into tears; Frosta screamed; and Angella gave the loudest gasp ever uttered in the history of Etherian royalty.

Still, no one was prepared when Perfuma strode forward and slapped Entrapta across the face. 

“You big idiot!” She yelled, shaking Entrapta’s shoulders. Even now, she tried to keep her voice even. “We thought you were dead! Where did you go? Why – h-how–“ 

Entrapta stared at Perfuma, too stunned to speak. 

“Perfuma!” Bow pleaded. “Stop!” 

“I told you to stay close, so we wouldn’t get separated–“ 

Suddenly, Entrapta began to cry. Adora took a step forward, but a nudging feeling gave her pause. Perfuma pulled Entrapta into a hug and leaned her forehead against Entrapta’s shoulder, hands shaking as she held her close. Motionless, Entrapta hid her face against the folds of Perfuma’s dress. Slowly, she brought her hands up to hold Perfuma’s waist. 

“I- I’m sorry,” Entrapta whispered. “I’m so sorry–“ 

Adora smiled, but the bitter taste of her own reunion with Catra remained on her lips. This wasn’t the time to reflect on that. She looked over at Bow, who was rocking back and forth with nerves. 

“Give them a second,” she murmured. 

When Entrapta and Perfuma finally drew apart, the others approached. They gathered Entrapta into a hug, but she looked uncomfortable. Adora didn’t know how to tell them to back off, though; nobody had expected this situation. 

“Okay, let’s not smother her,” Glimmer called, giving Entrapta a chance to dry her eyes. Adora transformed back into her usual self, tucked her sword into its baldric, and prepared to speak. 

“Entrapta, where have you been?” 

“With the Horde–“ 

Everyone started shouting, and Entrapta shrunk away a little more. 

“We saw fire in the exit chamber after it was sealed! How did you escape?” Perfuma asked. 

“Did the Horde hurt you?” Frosta ventured. 

“Guys, stop!” Adora yelled. “Let her talk. Entrapta, just… Tell us what happened.” 

She took a deep breath. 

“I hid inside Emily, my robot. She’s fireproof, so I was safe. Then we escaped into one of the vents. I stayed there for a while, making modifications to Emily… And waiting for you. Eventually, Catra and Scorpia found me.” 

The silence turned so heavy, Adora could feel everyone’s thoughts forming. 

“Don’t worry; they didn’t hurt me. They tried to chain me up, but it was just for show. I could pick all the locks with my hair. Anyway, Catra figured that you’d… Left me behind. At the time, I wasn’t really paying attention to her; I was keeping a log of my experiences in the Fright Zone. But it was hour 45, and I realized that– a long time had passed, since we’d gotten separated. And I started to think–“ 

Adora shivered before she even heard the words. 

“Maybe you weren’t coming back for me.” 

“Oh, Entrapta,” Glimmer whispered. “I’m so sorry. What happened after that?” 

“Catra and Scorpia let me stay and use the Horde’s technology so I could continue my work. I uploaded everything I learned to Emily’s database. I had a theory that if I hooked up the Horde’s computers to the Black Garnet, the combined power of the runestone and modern technology would affect the planet’s power source and give us the ability to control it.” 

For some reason, Adora’s gaze flicked over toward Queen Angella. 

“But the plan backfired. I mean, the theory was proven correct, but–“ 

“So the cataclysms taking place across the planet, that was you?” Angella demanded. 

“Yes. And I regret it. I didn’t realize the impact that trying to control the Black Garnet would have on the planet. All the runestones exist in a balance that is perfectly calibrated; I shouldn’t have tried to change it.” 

Queen Angella tensed up, and Adora suddenly felt very afraid. 

“Guards… On my order, prepare to arrest the Princess of Dryl.” 

“What? Mom, _no!_ ” 

“Stay out of this, Glimmer,” she barked, before rounding on Entrapta. “You, a member of the Princess Alliance, have publicly admitted to treason before an attorney.” 

“Your mom’s a lawyer?” Bow whispered. 

“She trained as one, but after my grandmother passed away, she gave that up to become Queen,” Glimmer said. 

“What’s a lawyer?” Adora asked, but they didn’t answer her. 

“Your actions have caused deaths around the world. Even if I am to believe that you didn’t intend harm, what you did is involuntary manslaughter at best. At worst, it’s terror.” 

“Mom, Entrapta didn’t know better,” Glimmer insisted. “She’s our age!” 

“You might have forgotten, Glimmer, but you’re a legal adult. And I find it hard to believe that someone of Entrapta’s intellect didn’t realize what she was doing.” 

“She thought we’d abandoned her,” Bow said, moving to Glimmer’s side. 

“That’s not an excuse, Bow.” 

_Oh, no_ , Adora thought. Her head was spinning. She was still processing Entrapta’s story, to say nothing of Queen Angella’s accusations. What could she do to fix this? What _should_ she do? 

It took her a while to realize that someone was tugging on her sleeve. 

“…Frosta?” 

“You have to do something,” said the Princess of Snows. “You’re the only other person here who’s been a part of the Horde.” 

Adora frowned. 

“Yeah, but I was barely even a force captain–“ 

“Stop being such a teenager! Of all the times to not get involved, you pick now?” 

“I don’t know what I could say–“ 

“No!” 

Perfuma stepped between Entrapta and the Queen, shielding the princess with her arms. 

“You can’t arrest Entrapta. She knows what the Horde has been doing. Like she said, she uploaded all her work to the robot–“ 

“Emily,” Entrapta whispered. 

“–Emily. Why would she have brought her research with her if she wasn’t going to share it with the Alliance? She didn’t want to leave it with the Horde!” 

“If she could figure that out, then she should have expected the harm her actions would do!” Angella countered. 

“Wait,” Adora said. “We haven’t heard the whole story. Entrapta, how did you come back? why?” 

“Catra helped me escape–“ 

“You hear that?” Glimmer glared at her mother. “She said _escape_.” 

“Well, almost everyone is a prisoner in the Fright Zone.” 

There was no good response to that, so no one spoke. Adora stepped forward, navigating the silence, and reached for Entrapta’s hands. 

“Please, tell us.” 

“Yesterday… Catra told me that she was wrong, about your leaving me behind; she didn’t know you thought I was dead. Catra had this whole plan to help me get out. She said I should leave and return to my old life. When I heard that… I made up my mind almost immediately. I wanted to come back here and face up to what I did.” 

“Why?” 

Entrapta shrugged, staring at the ground. 

“I stayed with the Horde because I had the chance to continue my work. And I thought the Alliance didn’t want me anymore. I–I’ve only ever wanted to discover the secrets of how our world works; that’s why I started working with First Ones technology in the first place. I didn’t anticipate the destruction I would cause. Instead of helping the world, I almost destroyed it. I’m prepared to accept the consequences.” 

“…You know, we would never have left you behind,” Adora said softly. 

Carefully, Entrapta lifted her head. The look in her eyes was tentative, but she met Adora’s gaze. 

“I know I’m not like most people. I’m not good at expressing my feelings, and I can only really understand other people’s if I study them. Before I met you guys, I didn’t have friends.” 

Adora noticed Glimmer stiffen beside her. 

“Not human friends. I built a lot of robots, but that’s different from spending time with… Actual people. I spent years putting my work first, because I didn’t have anything else – or anyone – to prioritize.” 

Glimmer huddled closer to Adora and Bow. 

“That isn’t true, anymore. You’re my friends. I should have – I didn’t– I wish I’d trusted that you wouldn’t–“ 

Entrapta’s voice trembled until a sob broke. 

“I-I made such a big mistake!” 

“It’s okay, Entrapta.” Perfuma patted her shoulder. “I get it.” 

“We all do,” Adora said. 

Even as she spoke to Entrapta, she turned toward the Queen of Bright Moon. The look in Adora's eyes was as adamant as lightning hurtling toward the ground. Of course, she couldn’t tell what Angella was thinking – because in that moment, it wasn’t Adora that the Queen saw. 

It was She-Ra, Guardian of Etheria, Princess of Power. 

“Entrapta.” 

Slowly, the members of the Princess Alliance looked up at Angella. 

“You will hand over all of your knowledge about the Horde and its technology, and you will explain it to the Princess Alliance. You are forbidden from contacting the Horde or working on its behalf. You will not leave the Kingdom of Bright Moon, and you are banned from strategic meetings of the Alliance until I have decided that you can be trusted. If you fulfill these terms, I will pardon your crime.” 

“I agree.” 

Relief burst onto everyone’s faces. Bow cheered, and within seconds, Adora and the others were hugging Entrapta, too overwhelmed to do anything but laugh. 

“If you wish to retrieve your things from Dryl, my guards can have them sent to you.” 

“That would be much appreciated,” Entrapta said quietly. 

“Put together a list. I’ll make arrangements.” 

“Thank you.” 

Angella dismissed her guards and began to walk away, but not before giving Adora a slow nod. She smiled and nodded in return, understanding the gesture. The decision to accept Entrapta hadn’t rested on one person’s shoulders. Adora and the Queen bore it together, and they would share the responsibility. 

As everyone started to head back, Adora stayed with Entrapta, helping her guide the robot toward the castle. All around them, a warm breeze was blowing. 

“Emily has a little trouble navigating new places,” Entrapta explained. “She takes after me.” 

Adora laughed and lifted her hands above her head, letting her sleeves billow in the wind. 

“It’s all right. No rush.” 

“You’re wondering where she is, aren’t you?” 

“Huh?” 

“Catra.” 

“…Yeah. How could you tell?” 

“I could give you a scientific explanation, but when I tried that on Catra, she looked ready to kill me. Short answer is, she loves you. So I’m guessing that you love her, too.” 

Adora faltered. Her arms fell to her sides, as if she’d gone numb. When she finally managed to speak, the words came with a certain irony. She’d been in love for so long, but she hadn’t realized it until someone else mentioned it. 

“You caught on quickly.” 

“Don’t worry,” Entrapta reassured her. “She said she would follow close behind. She’s coming.” 

Adora nodded. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, but the wind blew it out of place again. 

“I hope so.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This isn't the end of Mermista's story arc! There's more to come >:3
> 
> I wrote this chapter while listening to “Wanna Be” by Betty Who and three separate Taylor Swift albums.


	11. The Return (Part 2)

She stole a skiff. 

As Catra flew the aircraft out of its hangar, it occurred to her that this might be the last time she rode in a skiff at all. Over the past few weeks, Catra had gotten pretty good at flying. On nights when she couldn’t sleep, she would take a skiff into the Crimson Waste and let its high beams guide her through the darkness. She would fly until the night air filled her lungs and replaced all the oxygen in her bloodstream. Now, Catra was about to go on her last joyride. 

Well, she would make the most of it. 

Catra punched the skiff into high speed. It rose through the smog that covered the Fright Zone and emerged into the open air. Soaring above the landscape, Catra was struck by how little she recognized – not only because of the smog, which obscured entire buildings, but also because she’d spent most of her life in the main compound. As a child, Catra had liked to explore, but she never got far before Shadow Weaver ordered her to return. 

Looking down, Catra saw that the Fright Zone had expanded beyond the limits of what she’d imagined. It spilled out into the Crimson Waste, consuming mesas and valleys that had been empty when the Horde first arrived. Catra could barely remember those early years, but she knew that the Fright Zone hadn’t cropped up overnight. She thought of the Crimson Waste, empty and beautiful, its far reaches untouched by the Horde. She was already on her way there. 

As the smog cleared, Catra brought the skiff down. The sweeping mesas and cloudless sky brought tears to her eyes. This was the desert Catra had sped through on her last flight from Bright Moon, the view she’d ignored every time she’d left the Fright Zone to search for Adora. Catra had only paid attention to the Crimson Waste at night, when she was desperate and lonely. Even she didn’t know what she’d been searching for in the landscape. Seeing it in the daytime, Catra understood: this place had become a home to her, and she was leaving it behind. 

But she couldn’t think about that. She had to get to the Whispering Woods before– 

A deafening rumble caught up with her. Catra turned her head to see an entire squadron of skiffs. 

“Force Captain Catra,” a voice said over the radio, “power down your craft.” 

Catra hissed. So much for enjoying her last ride. 

“Touch down, and no harm will come to you.” 

_Like hell_ , she thought. Catra cast another glance over her shoulder; her pursuers were catching up. She took a sharp left between two mesas, trying to throw them off. 

“Eat my dust!” 

The skiffs trailed after Catra as she zigzagged across the Crimson Waste. This wasn’t an ideal situation, but she was having fun tricking the squadron unlucky enough to be sent after her. Catra swept into a narrow canyon; two skiffs crashed into each other as they tried to follow her. A third went into the canyon, only to be left behind as Catra shot back up into the open air. 

“ _Yes_ ,” she whispered. 

Catra wiped the sweat from her brow, not bothering to look back. She could see the Whispering Woods on the horizon. 

Just then, the radio crackled with the voice of the squadron leader. 

“Force Captain Catra, desist or you will be fired upon.” 

_Those poor idiots_ , thought Catra. Would the squadron dare to follow her into the forest? 

“We will not hesitate. Land your craft and surrender.” 

She kept flying, in a straight dash for the Woods– 

“This is your last warning. All squad members, prepare to fire on my command.” 

Reaching the edge of the forest, Catra flew through an opening in the trees. She shrieked in triumph, slowing her craft to avoid hitting a large branch, when she heard the thrum of weapons charging behind her. 

“Fire!” 

Catra felt the blast before she saw what happened. Stumbling onto her knees, she leapt up to grab the steering wheel. But her hands itched, and a prickly heat had spread over her skin like a red map. 

Finally, Catra turned around. The entire back half of the skiff was in flames. 

“No, no, no, _no_ –“ 

The skiff burst toward a tree and went down. 

When she came to, Catra felt out of place. She remembered falling back, but she must have blacked out on impact, because she didn’t recall hitting the ground. Still, Catra knew that the joyride was over. The skiff was unsalvageable, a smoking wreck wedged between two trees. There was no getting it back. 

Catra rose shakily from the skiff and stepped outside, hissing when she felt fresh air across her back. That wasn’t a normal reaction; something was wrong with her. She tried to reach behind her, but all she could tell was that her shirt had ripped in the crash, and her fur was singed. It was only when Catra saw the reflection of her back in the metal of the skiff that she understood: two burns ran down her shoulder blades. 

“Hell,” she sobbed. Catra clenched her fists, holding back the urge to scream. Now that she’d gotten over the shock of the crash, the pain had hit her. The burns had exposed the whites of her flesh, and the fur on her lower back was matted with blood. She hadn’t lost much, though, and she was conscious. All Catra had to do was walk. It would take hours to get through the Whispering Woods, but she could manage it. 

“Spread out! She won’t be far.” 

The squadron leader’s voice echoed from the edge of the woods. Catra shuddered, panic stirring in her chest. 

They were following her on foot. 

_I might die here._

But as soon as she thought it, Catra became angry with herself. She’d risked her life to be with Adora again. To get Entrapta out. She was not going to die in this place, not after she’d put in all this effort based on a gut feeling about the right thing to do. 

Catra ripped a scrap of fabric off her shirt and put it between her teeth so she wouldn’t accidentally bite her tongue from the pain. Then she climbed to the top of the skiff, eyes stinging from the smoke, and leapt up into the trees. If the squadron was chasing her on foot, then she would take to the highest branches. 

Her burns became wings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have been waiting to write this chapter for so long. Hope you enjoy it <3  
> Next time: The Big Damn Reunion happens!!


	12. The Return (Part 3) | End of Arc 1

Adora hadn’t been planning to help Glimmer clean her room that day, but after reuniting with Entrapta, she felt relieved to be doing something unrelated to the Princess Alliance. Maybe it would help take her mind off the Celebration and its aftermath. Besides, she ought to repay Glimmer for putting so much effort into finding her a dress for the festival, even if it had gone badly. And cleaning with Bow and Glimmer was more fun than sulking alone in her room. 

Bow hummed to himself as he grabbed a few dresses and started putting them back into Glimmer’s wardrobe. 

“Why is your room such a mess?” He teased. 

“Maybe because we spent _five hours_ looking for something that Adora could wear, and I never got the chance to put anything back?” Glimmer frowned, holding up a long pink gown. “This isn’t even mine; it’s my mom’s. Ugh, I’ll just give it to her later. What a day.” 

“At least Mermista’s feeling better– whoa!” Bow sidestepped Adora, who was holding at least twenty blue dresses. “How can you carry all that?” 

Adora shrugged and dropped the pile onto the ground. She rested a hand on her waist and wiped her brow, looking satisfied. 

“I’m She-Ra.” 

“I guess that’s an explanation,” he said. “Glimmer, where should we put the rest of this stuff? There’s no more room in the wardrobe.” 

In a burst of sparkles, Glimmer appeared beside them. 

“Huh? I took everything out of there." Glimmer cracked her knuckles and turned to Bow with a grin. “Step aside, and let the master organizer do her thing.” 

Bow obliged, and Adora watched in awe as Glimmer rearranged the closet to make room for the rest of the dresses. Within minutes, she’d put them neatly away. 

“Now that’s magic,” Bow mused. 

Adora nodded. If only she could organize her thoughts that easily. 

“It looks like we’re done,” Glimmer said, appraising the room. “Thanks for helping me, guys.” 

Just then, they heard a knock at the door. 

“Come in!” 

Queen Angella stepped inside with a wary look, but it dissipated when she saw the state of Glimmer’s room. 

“It’s… surprisingly clean in here.” 

“Right?” Glimmer beamed. “Bow and Adora helped me. By the way, I found one of your dresses.” 

She presented the pink gown to her mother, but Angella held out a hand. 

“That can wait. Where is Entrapta?” the Queen asked. 

“Uh–“ Glimmer shrugged. Luckily, Bow came to her rescue. 

“In the garden. Perfuma’s showing her how to grow flowers.” 

Angella gave a long-suffering sigh. 

“All right, well… When Perfuma is done, tell Entrapta that I want to talk to her. As soon as the guards return from Dryl with her things, we’re going to upload the information she brought back from the Fright Zone to her computer.” 

“Will do,” Glimmer agreed, running the sequined hem of the pink dress through her fingers. “Hey, Mom?” 

“Yes?” 

“Thanks. For trusting Entrapta. I understand why you didn’t want to.” 

Angella inclined her head and smiled. She leaned down, ruffling Glimmer’s hair as she brought her into a hug. 

“You’re a good person, Glimmer.” 

Over her daughter’s shoulder, the Queen regarded Adora, as if she were asking whether they had made the right decision. Adora nodded, because what could she say? 

Glimmer watched her mother glide out of the room, then gave a small laugh, balancing on her tiptoes. 

“Well… I should go get Entrapta; I don’t think my mom _really_ wants to wait for her to finish gardening. Be back soon!” 

She disappeared in a flash of pink light. In the meantime, Bow had moved toward one of Glimmer’s bookshelves and was reaching for a small object on display. 

“Hey, this is my sonic arrow!” 

“Really?” 

“I can’t believe Glimmer kept this,” he marveled. “She said it was a pointless invention.” 

“You _did_ use it to defeat Entrapta’s killer robots.” 

He grinned, twirling the arrow between two fingers with a fond smile. 

“Glimmer was proud of you.” 

“You think so?” 

“Yeah, she just…” Adora trailed off. “Didn’t want to admit she was wrong.” 

“Are you all right?” 

“I need a break from looking at clothes; my head’s all fuzzy. I’m going to take a walk outside.” 

“Okay,” Bow said, patting her shoulder. “Stay safe.” 

Adora brought her sword this time. 

Emerging from the castle, she walked down to the field that bordered the Whispering Woods. The forest met her, a wall of frozen tree trunks and splintered branches. Weeks had passed since the Horde’s attack, not enough time for an entire forest to grow back. The sweet scent of the woods had faded, leaving behind a sharp odor that carried on the wind. Tilting her head back, Adora closed her eyes and let the sun’s rays warm her face. The light itself was blinding. 

Seeing the sonic arrow on Glimmer’s shelf had cast a bitter spell over Adora’s thoughts. Reflecting on her life with the Horde, Adora couldn’t remember one instance when Catra had apologized for making a mistake. She wasn’t counting the times that Catra had tackled her a little too roughly; those were commonplace. But the moments when Catra ignored Adora after losing a practice fight, or messed up a joint training exercise, or misjudged something Adora had said, she had never been willing to admit that she was wrong. 

Then Adora thought about Entrapta’s return, and how Catra had helped her. Force Captain Catra, who had cut Adora’s lifeline when she dangled from a cliff and had marked her back with scars that might not fade, would never have let Entrapta go. But she did, which could only mean that Catra had realized her mistake. Glimmer had kept the sonic arrow as a sign of Bow’s achievements, but also a reminder that she had been too quick to dismiss him. Catra could have told Hordak that Entrapta was presumed dead, but she hadn’t. In fact– 

Adora thought back to the night of the Celebration, when she and Catra had lingered under the trees. Catra had tried to tell her that Entrapta was alive. Even after Adora had refused to listen and swept her aside, Catra had persisted. She had found a way to get Entrapta beyond Horde territory, across the desert and through the forest, until someone that Adora thought she had lost finally came home. It was the truest apology that Catra could have given. 

Now, Adora walked beside the same trees where they had last seen each other. Why had she sent Catra away that night when all she’d wanted was an explanation, however Catra was willing to give it? 

_Because you weren’t thinking. You let your emotions get the best of you–_

She rubbed her face, sighing. Adora had clenched her jaw so tightly that it felt sore. Her stomach twisted from the confusion, and her vision blurred at the edges. Perhaps, Adora thought, the most hostile place in the world was neither Bright Moon, as she once believed, nor the Fright Zone, as she had learned, but rather the space inside her head. 

Suddenly, she heard a rustle in the trees. It shook the highest branches, and a flock of starlings alighted into the sky. Adora looked up– 

And there she was, crouched amid the leaves, staring back. Her blue and yellow eyes were wide with fear, and tiredness had found its way into the slump of her shoulders, but a familiar smile tugged at her lips. 

“Catra.” 

Adora stepped closer, but Catra pressed a finger to her lips and slowly shook her head. 

“What’s wrong?” Adora asked, trying to keep her voice down. 

“Horde squadron,” whispered Catra. She pointed back into the forest. “Listen.” 

Adora strained to hear. Eventually, she caught snippets of voices, boots crunching through the underbrush. She thought about using her sword, but instead, she found herself moving toward the tree where Catra was hiding. They had to get to safety– 

“Fan out!” Barked a squadron leader, not far away. 

Adora’s gaze turned pleading. 

“Come down.” 

Catra shifted slightly, and Adora did not miss the way her legs quivered with pain. 

“Can’t run,” she mumbled. 

“It’s okay,” Adora insisted, holding out a hand. Catra was high above her in the tree, but if she reached down, they might just– 

A blast of laser fire burst into the clearing. Lunging from the branches, Catra pinned Adora to the ground as the shot soared past their heads. Adora let out a long breath; she’d landed on a few rocks, but she was fine. Only then did she become fully aware that Catra was in her arms, shielding her. 

“Are you okay?” Catra asked. The words fell against Adora’s ear, and she shuddered. 

“Y-yeah. Thanks.” 

Catra nodded and rolled off her. For a moment, her eyes were fixed beyond Adora, to where the shot struck the plant barrier around the castle. 

“What is that?” 

“Huh?” Adora sat up, looking in the same direction. “Oh. Perfuma made it to protect the castle from the Horde.” 

“The flower princess?” 

Adora nodded as she rose to her feet. Catra wrinkled her nose, then followed suit. 

“Looks creepy,” she muttered, before shrugging. “Come on.” 

As Catra turned, Adora saw the burns across her back. She must have made a horrified sound, because Catra’s gaze snapped back to her. 

“I – my skiff exploded, in the woods.” 

“They shot you down?” 

Catra scoffed, but she was shaking. Adora clenched her fists, as if she could will away the anger she suddenly felt. They studied each other, uncertain, until Catra seemed to understand the look in her eyes. 

“It’s fine. We need to go; I hear them coming–“ 

“No,” Adora said. “We won’t outrun an entire squadron. Get behind me.” 

“Adora, I can’t fight!” 

“You don’t have to; just trust me!” 

Catra sighed, her fur bristling. Then she took a few steps back, unsteady on her feet. 

“You better know what you’re doing.” 

_Oh, I do_ , Adora thought. _If the Horde shot you down, then I’ll shoot back._

Reaching for the Sword of Protection, Adora raised it overhead as the squadron emerged from the forest. 

“For the honor of Grayskull!” 

***

Catra had never known exhaustion like this before. 

Granted, when she was training with the other Horde cadets, she hadn’t been the type to push herself to her limits. She used to think it was a miracle that Hordak had made her a Force Captain; now, she knew it was a curse. In battle, Catra was good at quick strikes, but her endurance would falter. In that moment, it took all she had to stay safely behind Adora, which was really annoying, while she did her She-Ra thing – which was even _more_ annoying. Still, Catra had to concede that watching Adora fight was beautiful. It didn’t matter that she didn’t have Catra’s speed; Adora had a strength that could crush mountains. But she would settle for getting this squadron off their backs. 

By the time that sparkly princess showed up, Catra thought she might collapse in the field. 

When she saw the burst of pink light, Catra wondered if she was hallucinating. Then the Princess of Bright Moon appeared, and Catra actually felt relieved. Her mind couldn’t invent magic as wacky as that, even if she were delirious. 

“Adora! Do you need help?” The princess asked. 

“Glimmer, take Catra back to the castle.” 

“What? No way!” Catra shouted, stepping out into the open. That earned a glare from Adora, who was trying to return the squadron’s fire. 

“You’re injured!” 

“So what? I made it here by myself, didn’t I?” 

“Yeah, and now you need to go where it’s safe!” 

Catra knew she was being foolish, but part of her thought she might still be able to do something – at least protect Adora if she got hurt– 

“I’m not leaving.” 

“They’re not after me; they’re after you! Please, just let me – I can’t – _Glimmer_ ,” she breathed. 

“On it.” 

Glimmer grabbed Catra’s shoulders. 

“Adora!” Catra yelled, the name echoing as she and the Princess of Bright Moon disappeared in a cloud of sparkles. 

Suddenly, she found herself on the other side of the plant barrier. The flower princess, Perfuma, stood close by, peering through gaps in the foliage as she reinforced the castle’s shield. She had either not noticed Catra or was trying to concentrate. 

“What the–“ Catra kicked the shrubbery, then glared at Glimmer. “You. Sparkles.” 

“It’s _Glimmer_ –“ 

“Careful!” Perfuma whirled around. Her annoyed expression changed to one of surprise. “Oh. Hello. I assume you’re Catra. Please don’t kick my plants; they’re sensitive.” 

Catra rolled her eyes. 

“Sorry.” 

“It’s fine,” Perfuma said cheerfully, resuming her work. Catra didn’t know how to react. Was everyone here so friendly and _weird_? She glanced back at Glimmer, who surveyed her in silence. 

“You have to take me back out there,” Catra said. 

The Princess of Bright Moon pursed her lips, evaluating. 

“No. Adora’s right; your back looks really bad. You need medical care.” 

“It can wait!” Catra snapped. “What is it with you princesses and saving people?” 

“That’s kind of what we _do_ –“ 

“Catra?” 

They turned to see a purple-haired girl standing beside a Horde robot. The Queen of Bright Moon followed close behind, but Catra didn’t observe her; she was too startled by Entrapta’s presence. Catra had feared she was sending the Princess of Dryl to her death. But Entrapta seemed unhurt and at ease; in fact, she was smiling. 

“Heh. I thought I heard angry hissing over here.” 

“Entrapta–“ 

She swung forward using her hair, and Catra leapt to hug her. 

“You made it,” she said, eyes filling with tears. 

“Yeah, it wasn’t so bad. Did you know Emily’s legs are retractable? She rolled half the way here.” 

Catra’s laugh broke through a sob. Entrapta poked her arm, presenting a lock of hair in the shape of a handkerchief. Shaking her head, Catra pulled away and rubbed at her eyes, hoping she wouldn’t start crying again. Meanwhile, the Princess of Bright Moon watched them with a smile. 

“What is going on here?” 

All three of them froze. Catra didn’t recognize that voice, but she could guess whom it belonged to. The Queen of Bright Moon towered over her, a halo of pink hair framing her face. Catra hadn’t seen Queen Angella up close before, and she looked severe. 

“Your, uh, Highness,” she said. The word felt unfamiliar on Catra’s lips. “I’m–“ 

“I know who you are.” 

“…Right.” 

“Awkward,” Entrapta whispered. 

“Mom, Adora’s out there,” Glimmer cut in. For once, Catra felt grateful to her. “We have to help!” 

“The castle is filled with wounded,” said the Queen. “I can’t leave them defenseless.” 

“Then you should stay here and help Perfuma defend the castle. Where’s Frosta?” 

“Inside with Sea Hawk and Mermista,” another person said. It was Adora’s friend Bow, the one Catra had kidnapped at the All-Princess Ball. “Should I bring her?” 

“No. You and I will go now, and Entrapta can get Frosta–“ 

“What about me?” 

They all turned to face Catra. 

"Can you even stand without wobbling?” Glimmer asked. 

“I’m doing it right now, aren’t I?” 

“Barely. And you don’t even have a weapon.” 

“Does that matter?” Catra hissed. “You’re not going without me. I will sink my claws into your cape and not let go until you agree to take me out there.” 

“Then I guess I have no choice,” muttered Glimmer. She faced the plant barrier, getting in position. “When you guys are ready, hold on to me and get ready to teleport. Ugh, Adora’s gonna kill me.” 

“Not my problem, Sparkles.” 

“My name is Glimmer!” She yelled.

But Catra had already moved away from her, toward Bow. The Princess of Bright Moon was right, as much as Catra hated to admit it. In her current state, she was useless without a weapon. 

“Bow, right?” 

“Uh… Yup. And you’re Catra.” 

“Yeah. Listen, I’m sorry about kidnapping you,” she mumbled. “Also, I need to borrow this.” 

Catra reached behind him and retrieved his bow and arrow from their quiver, tucking them under one arm. 

“Hey!” 

Rushing back to Glimmer, Catra put one hand on each of her shoulders. She looked deep in thought, enough not to notice that Bow hadn’t caught up with them. 

“Let’s go, Sparkles. We’re ready.” 

Glimmer rolled her eyes and began to teleport. 

“Wait! Glimmer! She took my _bow_!” 

He was about to grab onto Glimmer’s arm, but Angella held him back. 

“Not without a weapon,” Catra heard her say. She glanced toward the Queen, but at that instant, Catra’s vision subsumed into glittering light. A second later, she was back on the battlefield. 

***

Sometimes, Mermista felt as though she had to fix every disaster that came the Alliance’s way. This situation wasn’t a disaster yet, but it inched closer to that threshold. After Entrapta came to get Frosta and explained what was happening, Mermista insisted on going down to the castle perimeter. Sea Hawk protested, reminding Mermista that she wasn’t at her best. He was right: her head ached; she hadn’t gotten over the shock of seeing Entrapta again; and she was afraid to confront the Horde after what had happened at the Celebration. But she wouldn’t sit in a hospital bed while her friends risked their lives outside. 

“Are you sure about this?” Sea Hawk asked, holding on to her waist as they walked. 

Mermista nodded and put one arm around his shoulders, letting Sea Hawk support her so she didn’t stumble. When they finally reached the plant barrier, Mermista saw that the Queen was doing magic. She stood beside Perfuma, light emanating from her palms as she pressed them against a twisting vine. 

“What’s going on?” 

“We are fortifying the barrier,” said the Queen. “My daughter is out there with She-Ra and Frosta.” 

“And Catra,” Perfuma added. 

“Huh? Where’s Bow?” Asked Sea Hawk. He pressed his face against the plants, squinting to see through a small gap in the barrier. 

“I’m right here.” 

Mermista and Sea Hawk flinched. They hadn’t even noticed him sitting beside Entrapta. 

“Hello there, Bow!” Sea Hawk grinned. “The others seem to be doing a good job, but Adora looks angry.” 

“That’s probably because I'm supposed to be out there instead of Catra,” Bow grumbled. 

“Why is she fighting instead of you?” 

“I don’t want to talk about it.” 

“Okay, whatever,” Mermista said, approaching the barrier. “Sea Hawk, can I see?” 

He stepped aside with a flourish, and Mermista leaned in. The view through the leaves wasn’t ideal, but she was able to spot She-Ra and the others. It looked like the battle was at an end, and they had handled themselves fine. Most of the squadron was down, and the remaining soldiers had fled back into the forest. Frosta was helping Glimmer, whose magic was depleted; She-Ra and Catra were catching their breath – 

Then she saw the Horde soldier lying on the ground, aiming a laser gun at She-Ra’s back. 

Mermista drew herself upright. She had started to feel dizzy; that familiar weight bore down on her mind, and her vision was clouding over. She had to act now; it was time to prevent a disaster. 

“Perfuma, open the barrier.” 

“What?” She asked, eyes wide. “But the Horde–“ 

“Just do it!” 

Perfuma growled and parted the vines in front of Mermista. Now, they all saw what was unfolding – the soldier aiming for She-Ra, struggling to keep both hands from shaking, the laser gun about to fully charge– 

Running into the open, Mermista stretched out her right hand and opened her palm. As she focused her attention, her vision seemed to darken. But it wasn’t a trick of the light; there were no clouds for the sun to hide behind. Something was happening inside her mind, a transformation that had begun when she first stared into the eyes of the monster at the Celebration. She took a deep breath– 

And the magic worked through her. 

Water swelled from Mermista’s fingertips. It burst forth, a river in mid-air. What she didn’t expect was the smoke that swirled around it, then sunk into the water and sharpened itself like a needle. The moment she saw it, Mermista knew that no natural phenomenon could explain the smoke. It could only be dark magic. 

Behind her, the rest of the Alliance gasped. In front of her, She-Ra and the others watched in shock as Mermista struck her target. The blast flung the soldier far off into the Whispering Woods. Turning around, Mermista took a step before her legs gave way, and Sea Hawk ran to catch her. She couldn’t quite place his expression; there was concern there, and confusion, but also admiration and love. 

“You did it,” he said. 

“No disaster today,” she returned. You’re welcome.” 

***

Even after the smoke settled, every nerve in Adora’s body felt like it was on fire. The sun shone brightly down on the field, laying everything bare. Although the squadron had retreated, Adora hesitated to look at the ground, not knowing what or whom she would see. But then she remembered that Horde soldiers were trained to not leave the dead behind on enemy soil. The squadron had dragged its casualties into the forest and fled. All Adora saw was water, earth, and blood. 

“What just happened?” She shouted. 

Beside her, Catra was silent. Glimmer shrugged, a tired hum escaping her. Meanwhile, Frosta looked back at the castle, where their friends had come through a gap in the barrier and were waiting for them. 

“I- I don’t know, but I think we won,” Frosta marveled. 

When the others didn’t answer, she leapt onto Glimmer and hugged her. 

“We _won_!” 

Glimmer managed a smile. 

“Great, let’s go. We’re going to have to walk back; I’m too tired to teleport – Ow! Frosta, you’re stepping on my foot!” 

“Sorry!” 

“Are you guys coming?” Glimmer called over her shoulder. 

“They’re just staring at each other,” Frosta whispered. 

Glimmer let her head fall into her hands. 

“That’s our cue to leave. Come on, Frosta; they can catch up.” 

In fact, Adora had not turned away from Catra at all. Not after noticing the way Catra froze at the sight of the smoke, her ears flat against her head, tail curled up in the shape of a fishhook. A shiver passed through Adora; Catra’s face betrayed no emotion, but now Adora could tell that she was afraid. How many times had Catra hidden her fear beneath that vacant gaze, and how many times had Adora failed to recognize it? 

“Hey. It’s over.” 

“That smoke. It looked like–“ 

“I know,” Adora said. “But it wasn’t; I don’t know how to explain.” 

Catra twitched, her body relaxing as her eyes flicked up to Adora. 

“You don’t have to. Just get me out of here before I pass out.” 

Adora pursed her lips, daring to move closer. She brushed the back of her hand against Catra’s palm, roughened with calluses. But Catra did not flinch; she let Adora lace their fingers together. 

“You’ve gotten taller.” 

“Oh–“ Adora chuckled. For a second, she had forgotten she was in She-Ra’s form. “Maybe a little.” 

Catra quirked a smile. 

“Well, that’s enough talking. More walking.” 

“Whatever you say.” 

Suddenly, Adora lifted Catra into her arms. She avoided touching her back, but Catra tensed up anyway. 

“What are you doing?” She hissed. 

“You said to get you out of here! This is the fastest way.” 

“So you’re going to carry me to the castle, princess-style, with you looking like–“ She waved a hand to indicate all of Adora. “Like–“ 

“She-Ra, yeah. She’s stronger.” 

“I’m not doing this. Put me down.” 

“But–“ 

“Adora!” Catra grabbed her face, pressing their noses together. “I _swear_ –“ 

Adora didn’t know if the next thing that came out of her mouth was a laugh or a sob, but when she leaned in to close the space between them, Catra met her halfway. The kiss was insistent, yet Adora returned it gently, and they found a middle ground. This time, they didn't kiss like the world was ending around them, but rather like they’d found their place in this one. 

When they drew apart, Adora lowered Catra onto her feet, exhaustion catching up to her. _Maybe She-Ra isn’t as strong as I thought_ , she mused. But seeing Catra, standing tall despite the burns on her back, made Adora realize that she didn’t need to be. 

Maybe Adora was strong enough. 

“Hey, Catra,” she teased, leaning down to kiss her again. 

“You–“ 

Catra pulled her close, and Adora felt herself changing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for your patience and for reading. <3
> 
> This marks the end of the first story arc! The second arc will focus on Adora, Catra, and Sea Hawk as they figure out a way to help Mermista. Catra will be adjusting to life with the resistance; it will be A Good Time. XD
> 
> I might update a bit before Season 2 comes out, but I want to wait so I can include content from the new season. I like the idea of this story staying connected to the series through jokes and canon-divergent scenes. Stay tuned!!


	13. The Other Side of the War

Catra spent a week in the infirmary. At first, she passed the time in bed, sleeping or resting while a doctor took care of her burns. Princess Frosta was usually there to help dress Catra’s wounds, but she wasn’t talkative. Honestly, Catra couldn’t blame her. If she were Frosta, she wouldn’t have been in the mood to chat with the person who nearly destroyed her castle, either. 

After a few days, Frosta left for the Kingdom of Snows. By then, Catra was able to take short walks around the hall before her muscles started to ache. Sometimes, she talked to the other patients; the doctors had exchanged her uniform for a hospital gown, so no one could tell that she had been a Horde officer. Either way, Catra didn’t want to talk about herself. She asked about other people’s families and homes, and the Plumerians were especially willing to tell Catra about their kingdom. Not long ago, that would have surprised her, given how much of Plumeria the Horde had destroyed. But she’d since met Perfuma, who loved her kingdom fiercely. Catra was starting to understand that these people didn’t need to be on the winning side of a war to feel proud of where they came from. 

In the afternoon, Adora would visit her. The Alliance’s meetings with Entrapta could drag on for hours, but Adora still came by the infirmary afterward. Sometimes she wanted Catra to confirm Entrapta’s findings. For the most part, Adora didn’t mention the meetings, and Catra didn’t ask. She had more pressing questions, like why Adora’s horse was giving speeches in the infirmary about the liberation of horsekind. 

“Swift Wind? That’s just his thing. He says it’s his calling to free the horses from their stables.” 

“I haven’t gotten past the fact that he can talk,” Catra admitted. 

“Oh, uh –“ Adora rubbed the back of her neck, embarrassed. “I did that. I was trying to turn into She-Ra, but I accidentally blasted him with the sword’s magic.” 

“So… He’s She-Ra, but a horse.” 

“Sort of?” 

Catra grinned wickedly. 

“I guess even a horse can become a princess now–“ 

Adora’s eyes widened. 

“Says the Force Captain that still chases mice!” 

“ _Former_ Force Captain, and I have no clue what you’re talking about.” 

“You’re so full of it,” Adora muttered. 

“I’m full of wit? Thanks.” 

Adora shoved her arm, and Catra winced. 

“Watch it! I’m recovering here.” 

“Sorry! I forgot for a second; I guess I’m just used to–“ 

“Shoving me around?” She smirked. “Save it for later.” 

Adora looked at her flatly. 

“I was _going_ to say fighting.” 

“Well…” Catra reached over to adjust her pillow, then turned back to Adora. “I’m willing to call a truce if you are.” 

“Is this your way of admitting you like me?” 

A smaller, more private smile played across Catra’s face. 

“Thought I already did.” 

Adora’s gaze fell to the floor. She pursed her lips, looking thoughtful. 

“Yeah, you did.” 

That was when Swift Wind showed up to interrogate Catra about her stance on equine rights. 

Hell, she’d already had enough of that horse. 

***

Soon, Catra was well enough to walk around the castle. Princess Sparkles reluctantly agreed to give her a tour, which meant that Adora and her friends tagged along as well. Although Catra hadn’t seen much of Bright Moon, she was learning about the kingdom. Sparkles gave her an overview of its history as they went from room to room. Catra tried to pay attention, but she was distracted; the gazes of the royal guards disturbed her, not to mention the clanking noise Entrapta’s robot made as it followed them down the hall. 

“Well, what do you think?” Glimmer asked, as if daring her to say something negative. 

“It’s so… bright,” Catra mumbled. 

“I know!” Bow exclaimed. “I _love_ it. I practically live here.” 

Catra gave him a long look. 

“It isn’t called Bright Moon for nothing,” Adora said with a shrug. 

“I know what you’re saying, Catra,” Entrapta chimed in. “The lights here hurt my eyes.” 

“Oh, no!” Perfuma grabbed her arm. 

“It’s okay!” Reaching into her pocket, Entrapta pulled out her goggles and snapped them on. “I’m protected.” 

Well, at least Entrapta was her usual self. Catra glanced over her shoulder at the Princess of Salineas and – her boyfriend? Husband? – The pirate man, who were whispering angrily about something. 

“Do _not_ sing,” Catra heard the princess say. 

The tour ended in front of a purple door decorated with the lunar insignia of the royal family. Glimmer pushed it open, to reveal a huge bedchamber with a vaulted ceiling and enormous windows overlooking the city. 

“And this is your room, Catra,” Glimmer said. 

Catra wandered inside, glancing around. The memory of the Horde barracks suddenly felt very distant. 

“Sorry it isn’t that big; it’s one of the guest rooms.” 

She blinked, shaking her head. There were bigger bedrooms? 

“Okay, rundown: That’s the vanity, bathroom, crystals, bell pull, tea nook, more crystals, bed, desk, and waterfall.” 

Catra tiptoed over to the bell pull and swatted at it. Suddenly, Glimmer teleported to her side. 

“Don’t pull it unless you need something,” she warned. “It calls the guards. The crystals are decorative; they don’t do anything special, but they double as nightlights. The waterfall is not for showering, as Adora assumed–“ 

Catra made a sound like she was choking on a hairball. 

“You what?” 

Adora barely had time to glare at Glimmer before everyone’s eyes fell on her. 

“I – I thought it was a weird princess thing!” She looked away, her face turning a furious shade of red as Catra doubled over in laughter. The burns on her back still stung, but she couldn’t help it. 

“Adora, they have _bathrooms_.” 

“How was I supposed to know that?” 

“It’s common sense!” 

“Okay, everyone, let’s not judge each other,” Bow said. “We’re getting over cultural stereotypes here.” 

Catra cackled. 

“That isn’t even a stereotype; it’s just Adora being dumb–“ 

“Are you for real?” 

Adora leapt toward her, but Glimmer blocked her path, a flurry of sparkles filling the air. 

“We have an Alliance meeting in five minutes! Let’s go.” She grabbed Adora’s arm and headed for the door. Perfuma and Bow followed, but Entrapta stood still, fiddling with her hair. 

“Should I come?” 

“Oh – sorry, Entrapta. My mom’s still not comfortable letting you sit in on the tactical meetings. But, uh, you can keep coding the data you collected from the Black Garnet! Maybe Catra can help?” 

“That depends,” Catra said haughtily, crossing her arms. She and Entrapta exchanged glances. “Do I have to do math?” 

“No, I’ll do the math.” 

Catra turned back to Glimmer and nodded. 

“Fine. I’ll help, Sparkles.” 

“I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear that,” she grumbled. “This marks the end of the tour! Let’s go, guys.” 

“See you soon!” Bow called. Perfuma waved, then followed Bow out of the room. Hanging back, Adora looked at Catra. 

“Huh?” 

Suddenly, Adora stuck her tongue out. 

Catra pulled down a lower eyelid, looking unimpressed. She tried to keep herself from laughing as Adora huffed, on the verge of a retort. But instead, she took a step back, seeming to remember the meeting, and the words on her lips dissolved into a smile. Carefully, she slipped out of the room. 

“That was weird,” Entrapta said. “Now, come on, I want to show you the new analysis I’m running with my data!” 

She grabbed Catra’s hand and rushed down the hall, Emily’s footsteps thudding behind them. 

***

At night, Catra found herself alone in her room. She had just left dinner, during which she had said very little and tried not to make eye contact with Queen Angella. Everyone else had gone to sleep, and Catra figured she ought to do the same. The round, fluffy bed she laid on was unnaturally comfortable, but she felt restless. Back in the Fright Zone, she would have been training or talking to her friends at this hour. Catra thought about going to find Entrapta, who was surely awake, but she couldn’t handle the sight of another string of code. She refused to think about Scorpia, or she’d never manage to sleep. 

Growling, Catra rolled off the bed and put a fuzzy bathrobe over her pajamas. She opened the door and was startled to see a guard standing right outside. 

“Do you need something?” 

Catra clasped her hands over her mouth, stifling a shriek. The guard didn’t flinch. 

“Uh, no – I was just going to find a friend–“ She started walking away. 

“I will accompany you,” the guard said. 

“You really don’t need to do that.” 

“It is protocol.” 

“But I know where I’m going!” 

“For security purposes, ma’am, I must come with you.” 

_Ma’am?_ Catra thought. _Gross._

“Okay, that’s fine,” she relented. “You’re doing your job. I get it.” 

They walked in silence. Belatedly, Catra realized that the guard was following her for the sake of other people’s security, not her own. 

Halfway down the hall, Catra stopped in front of another door and knocked. She immediately heard footsteps on the other side. 

“Who is it?” 

“It’s me.” 

The door opened. 

“Hey, Adora.” 

“Catra? What’s the matter?” 

“Nothing.” She glanced at the guard. “Can I come in?” 

She held the door open. The guard lingered outside, impassive, as Adora closed it behind them. 

“Thank you,” Catra hissed, dragging her hands across her face. “I didn’t realize I needed to be chaperoned by the guards.” 

“What are you doing here?” 

“I couldn’t sleep. Figured you’d still be awake.” 

Adora smiled. 

“I was about to go to bed. Sometimes it’s hard to fall asleep here.” 

Catra looked around, curious. Glimmer had pointed out everyone’s rooms on the tour, but Catra had only seen what Entrapta’s looked like on the inside. She figured that the other bedrooms didn’t look like the inside of a computer processor. As expected, Adora’s room was normal. 

“This is pretty nice.” 

Her eyes landed on Adora’s bed. 

“Oh, _no_.” 

“I can explain–“ 

“What is this sad excuse for a bed? It looks like the ones in the cadet barracks!” 

“Well…” 

Catra sat down and immediately regretted it. 

“Ugh, this mattress is a brick. Did you steal this from the Horde?” 

“I can’t sleep on the fluffy one! It’s too soft!” 

“You’re so weird. I’m having nightmares just looking at this thing.” 

Adora sat down beside her, and Catra noticed that she was wearing pajamas with tiny moons on them. Her hair fell around her shoulders in soft waves. Catra couldn’t remember the last time she had seen Adora without a ponytail, if ever. 

“You got used to the castle a lot faster than I did,” Adora murmured. 

“Only because I spent a week in a hospital bed, surrounded by hundreds of people.” 

“Yeah, I’m sorry about that.” 

“S’fine. Frosta kept giving me death glares; it felt like home.” 

Adora cringed. 

“Are your burns okay?” 

“They’re getting there. I probably shouldn’t move around as much as I have been, but it’s tough. Adora, I want to _climb_ something.” 

“In another week, you’ll be able to!” She patted Catra’s shoulder. 

_A week?_

“Great.” 

“Catra, I’m glad you’re here,” Adora said suddenly. 

“I know.” 

“Ha, ha. I’m serious,” she insisted, grabbing Catra’s hand. “I didn’t know if I would ever see you again.” 

“Hey.” Catra leaned closer to her. “Me neither, okay? But we don’t have to talk about it. Besides, I’m starting to think you’re looking for excuses to hold my hand.” 

Adora’s eyes wandered from her face to where their hands touched. 

“Oh– It’s just instinct.” 

Sighing, Catra retracted her claws and interlaced their fingers. 

“I don’t mind.” 

Carefully, Adora rested her head against Catra’s shoulder. 

They sat in silence, but Catra’s thoughts raced furiously through her head. Something felt off; she wasn’t comfortable here. Not “here” as in Adora’s room, although her imitation barracks bed couldn’t be described as comfortable. Rather, Catra meant the castle. Bright Moon, the Rebellion. The other side of the war. There was no going back to the Horde, but would she fit in here? Catra had the distinct feeling that she had already crossed too many lines to belong anywhere – that upon her next step, she would vanish into thin air. 

She sat on the edge of the bed for as long as she could, holding Adora’s hand, so that when she finally got up, Catra felt solid enough to walk back to her room. Adora had not asked her to stay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we gooooo, the start of Arc 2! This is where the real fun begins >:3 Adora and Catra may be in love, but ~~they are a dumbass and a disaster~~ that doesn't mean they know how to talk about it.
> 
> Stay tuned for more ridiculousness as Catra joins the Alliance; you might be surprised by who she befriends...
> 
> Get psyched for Season 2 this Friday! I'm planning to update after watching it, so I can try to integrate some of the new character dynamics into future chapters of this story.


	14. Reality

Morning came too quickly, sunlight rushing in through the open windows of Catra’s room. Yawning, she arched her back into a stretch. Catra purred softly, opening one eye to look around her. The ornate furniture and painted walls stared back at her like a lurid dream, but it was just the opposite. 

_Guess this is my new reality_ , Catra thought. 

After she had cleaned up enough to look presentable, Catra decided to explore the castle. She wandered into one of the sitting rooms, admiring the tapestries that depicted events from Bright Moon’s history. Catra didn’t know anything about art, but the images interested her. Some of the tapestry scenes were familiar: the first battle against the Horde, the crowning of a queen that Sparkles had told her about yesterday. Others seemed more mythical than real. There was even a scene of She-Ra riding a – well, Catra didn’t know what it was. A Tyrosaur with wings? Some kind of huge lizard. The image of Adora riding it popped into her head, and she stifled a laugh. Swift Wind would go insane if he thought he’d been replaced by a flying reptile– 

“Good morning.” 

Catra yelped. She hadn’t noticed Glimmer, who was sitting on a divan with a book in her hands. 

“Oh… Uh, morning.” 

Glimmer raised a brow, as though she hadn't expected Catra to be polite. 

“Did you sleep well?” 

“Fine,” Catra lied. “Where’s Adora?” 

“She’s training with Light Hope.” 

“Who’s Light Hope?” 

“A First Ones hologram with a creepy smile,” Bow said over her shoulder. “Morning, everyone!” 

Catra stumbled, almost falling over. Where had he even come from? 

“You princess types are way too cheerful at this hour.” 

“Just Bow,” Glimmer corrected. “He’s a morning person.” 

“Yes, I am!” He grinned, before pulling the princess into a hug. 

Catra rubbed her eyes. It was still early for… All of this. 

“Wait, so where is Adora?” 

“At the First Ones Temple,” Glimmer said. 

Oh. The Beacon. The place where Catra had nearly killed Adora. She fought down a feeling of nausea, willing herself to push the memory away. 

“And Swift Wind?” 

“Uh, I think he’s with Adora,” said Bow. “They usually train together.” 

_I’ve been replaced by a horse_ , Catra thought idly. Meanwhile, the princess had retreated back into her book, brow furrowed like she was trying to ignore Catra. Bow watched her curiously, his gaze uncomfortably evaluative. 

“Why do you ask?” 

Catra’s gaze flicked back toward the tapestry. She shrugged. 

“No reason–“ 

A loud thump echoed from the hallway, and they all flinched. Glimmer leapt to her feet, linking her arm with Bow’s. 

“What was that?” 

“I think I can guess,” Catra said. 

She poked her head through the door just in time to see a robot barreling toward her, with Entrapta and Emily on its heels. The bot looked like one of Entrapta’s EKS models, but with two long arms on the upper part of its body. It didn’t have any legs and appeared to move simply by rolling around. 

“…Yup.” 

“Bright Moon Log, Day 3. Bot 437 seems to be having some sort of existential crisis–“ 

Catra ducked as the robot’s long arms swept toward her. 

“Down, boy, down! Sorry, Catra!” 

“What’s wrong with it?” She demanded. 

“I’m still working out a few kinks in the navigation program.” 

The robot whooshed past them, making a “whee” noise. As Glimmer and Bow ran out into the hallway, their faces filled with alarm. Once again, the bot swerved, heading in their direction. 

Catra leapt on top of it, trying to pin one of its arms to the floor. But the robot swung out its other arm and shoved her against the wall. Catra shouted, her back stinging with pain. That was when Bow ran at the bot from behind and punched it in its core processor. Glimmer shot a light bomb into the damaged hardware. Stuttering, the robot fell on its side and shut down. 

“That’s going to take a while to repair,” Entrapta murmured. 

“Are you okay?” Bow asked. 

Catra huffed and brushed herself off. 

“Like you care.” 

Glimmer frowned and stalked toward her, but Bow held her back. 

“We do, actually,” he said. “The Rebellion treats people with compassion.” 

“Well, I’m all right. Entrapta’s robots go haywire a lot.” 

“This is true,” Entrapta said from where she stood over the robot, holding her chin as she thought. “Emily, make a note: EKB navigation program needs overhaul.” 

“EKB?” Glimmer asked. 

“Emily’s Kid Brother.” 

Bow grinned. “Is there a Kid Sister model, too?” 

“Actually, yes. The EKS is a very successful fighting bot.” 

Emily beeped, seeming to agree. 

“Well, maybe you can build an EKS for the rebellion,” suggested Glimmer, annoying as usual. She _had_ to connect everything to the rebellion. “We can find you some First Ones tech–“ 

Entrapta’s eyes lit up in that hyperactive yet sleep-deprived way that Catra had learned to recognize. Usually, that look meant Entrapta was on the verge of saying something brilliant, or else absurd. 

“That reminds me! I finished interpreting the data I got from the Fright Zone. There’s something you need to see.” 

***

Half an hour later, Catra and the others were sitting on the floor of Entrapta’s bedroom, staring up at a projector screen that was filled with physics calculations. Mermista, the pirate man, and Perfuma had joined them, but the Queen of Bright Moon was notably absent, hosting a separate meeting with diplomats from the Kingdom of Snows. Of course, Adora and Swift Wind were still training. Sitting across from Catra, Sparkles muttered that this was probably the most impromptu meeting in Alliance history. Catra only shrugged. It was unlikely that the princess was talking to her; besides, she had nothing to say. She thought about chatting with the pirate, but he was busy comforting Mermista, who had a headache. The Princess of Salineas leaned her head against her palm, eyes bleary and red. Something told Catra that she wasn’t up for a conversation. 

It would have been better if Adora were here. At least then, Catra could admire her pretty face while Entrapta rambled on and on about mathematical calculations that nobody else understood. 

“And this value represents the radiation discharge–“ 

“Stop! I have no idea what you’re talking about.” 

“What? Haven’t you been paying attention?” 

Catra growled. 

“Me neither,” Perfuma cut in, raising her hand. She offered a shy smile. “Entrapta, could you start at the beginning? There’s so much information, I can’t tell what it all represents.” 

“How did you even get this data?” Bow asked. 

Entrapta grinned. 

“Oh, I snuck into Hordak’s lab.” 

Silence lingered on the end of her answer, before the room exploded with voices. 

“ _What_?” 

“I needed a six-sided hex driver!” Entrapta said defensively. 

“Forget how you got the data,” Catra hissed. “How are you still alive?” 

“Tell us what you did, Entrapta. Did you hook Emily up to Hordak’s computer?” Asked Glimmer. 

“Pretty much. Emily downloaded the information while I worked, and then we left–“ 

“Back up,” Bow said. “Worked?” 

“Yes, I helped Hordak fix some of his experiments.” 

Bow’s jaw dropped, and Perfuma pressed her lips together into a tight frown. 

“You _helped_ Hordak?” Glimmer exclaimed. 

“He was uninsulated cables with a volatile power source!” Entrapta said, as if that explained everything. Catra hid her face in her hands, groaning. It explained nothing, besides the fact that Entrapta had collaborated behind the scenes with their dictatorial ex-boss. 

“What was Hordak trying to do?” 

“He wants to create a portal. It’s a disruption in the fabric of space-time that would allow him to travel instantly from one place to another. In this case, to another dimension. Think of it as bending reality.” 

Mermista finally spoke up, her voice heavy with tiredness. 

“Uh, what does that mean?” 

“No idea,” Sea Hawk said. “But it sounds exciting–“ 

“It sounds _insane_ ,” Catra amended. 

Suddenly, Bow stood up. 

“Hang on. Entrapta said “another dimension.” I think Adora mentioned something like this before.” 

He turned to the Princess of Bright Moon, who had a baffled, angry look on her face. Catra could understand that, at least. 

“Remember when Adora told us that Mara, the She-Ra before her, stranded the planet in an empty dimension?” 

Glimmer’s eyes widened. 

“Yes.” 

“Mara must have created a portal that pulled Etheria into this dimension. That’s why there are no stars or other planets in the sky, like in the old First Ones stories. They only exist in the original dimension.” 

“But if that’s true, then how did the Horde get here?” 

“I’m guessing they opened a portal, too,” Entrapta said. “But it must not have been stable, which is why the Horde got trapped in this dimension.” 

“And now they’re trying to get back. Entrapta, why didn’t you mention this before?” demanded Glimmer. 

“Right now, the plan is only theoretical. I worked out the formulas, but I’m still figuring out how to apply them, and Hordak doesn’t have a strong enough power source to create a working portal. If he gets his hands on more First Ones technology, then maybe, but it’s a no-go otherwise. I thought you would be more interested in hearing about the Horde’s battle plans and weaponry.” 

“Not if Hordak… Blows a hole in the planet!” 

“That’s not how portals work.” 

Glimmer ignored her, rounding on Catra. 

“Did you know about this?” 

“What? No!” 

“How convenient.” 

Catra rolled her eyes. 

“Hordak never trusted me with anything important.” 

“I wonder why–“ 

“Guys, stop!” Bow yelled. “That doesn’t matter. We have to call an official Alliance meeting and tell the others about Hordak’s plan. Entrapta, can you come up with a simplified explanation of how the portal would work?” 

“Yep, I just need a little more time.” 

Staggering to her feet, Mermista cleared her throat and faced the others. 

“I’ll be right back,” she said, her voice strained. “Don’t wait up.” 

With that, she hurried out of the room. The pirate man got up and followed after her. Exchanging confused murmurs, the others resumed their conversation. But Catra stared at the door, her mind slowly piecing together what had happened. Although it was unlikely, Catra thought she understood what the princess was going through. She recognized Mermista’s expression: it was pain, but hidden for others’ sake. She was suffering. 

***

Mermista had to go. She couldn’t stay a second longer. Her face ached; her eyes burned; and everything looked blurry, as though the world were submerged in water. Pain thrummed across her temple so much that she worried her head would split down the middle. Hurrying down the hallway, she ignored Sea Hawk’s protests as he struggled to catch up. 

“Mermista, wait!” He shouted, but the words reached her as echoes. She ran like she was trying to escape her own shadow. 

After a while, Mermista found the guest room where she’d stayed last night. Sea Hawk followed her inside and shut the door. 

“What’s the matter, my love?” 

Mermista rocked back and forth on her heels, deliberating. They were as alone as they could be. She pulled Sea Hawk close to her and kissed him fiercely. 

“Don’t say anything.” 

“Oh-ho, all right,” he teased. 

Mermista resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She went over to the desk and found a pen and a piece of paper. Without looking down, she scribbled a few words and held up the paper so Sea Hawk could see. 

_Seriously, do not say anything. Pretend we’re having a moment, okay?_

His smile turned to a frown as Mermista began to write something else. 

_I think she’s in my head._

“Wh–“ 

She pressed a finger to her lips. 

“Ah.” Sea Hawk fell quiet. Mermista touched his cheek, briefly running a hand through his hair before she returned to writing. 

_The witch. She can hear what I hear. And see what I see._

Sea Hawk narrowed his eyes. Did he believe her? What she was saying sounded unreal. 

_That’s why I’m not looking down. I don’t want her to see what I’m writing._

“Mermista–“ 

_I shouldn’t go to the meetings anymore. Tell the others._

He nodded, but his expression was pained. 

_I’m not going crazy_ , she wrote, and underlined it three times. 

“You’re beautiful,” Sea Hawk said. She knew it meant, _I know._

***

By the time Sea Hawk rejoined his friends, the Alliance meeting had dissolved into disorder. He was startled to see Glimmer and Catra standing in the middle of the room, getting in each other’s faces. From what he’d heard, though, perhaps he shouldn’t have been. 

“What kind of Second-in-Command doesn’t know anything about their superior officer’s plans?” 

“I wasn’t in charge of Hordak’s science experiments; I led the troops!” 

“It looks like your information isn’t that useful after all,” Glimmer said coldly. “Why did Adora go to so much trouble to save you?” Catra smirked, showing her teeth. 

“Wouldn’t you like to know, Princess?” 

“How are you such a _nightmare_?” Glimmer growled. 

“Ah, years of practice–“ 

Sea Hawk scoffed and looked over at Bow. He and Entrapta had scooted closer to the projector screen and were discussing physics while Perfuma tried to follow along. 

“May I say something?” 

Bow and Perfuma turned toward him, but his words got lost in the shouting. Meanwhile, Entrapta’s eyes remained fixed on the screen as she reviewed her data about the portal. Clearing his throat, Sea Hawk walked over to Glimmer and Catra, stepping between them. Now that he knew what was happening to Mermista, every other worry seemed insignificant. 

“Listen!” 

***

Adora burst into Glimmer’s room that afternoon with a huge smile on her face. It widened when she saw Bow, Glimmer, Sea Hawk, and Catra sitting together. Finally, her friends were having a normal conversation. Maybe this would work out after all. 

“Guess what Swift Wind and I did today! We restored a First Ones Watchtower so Light Hope can balance the planet, and we brought a field back to life, and–“ 

They stared back at her, despondent. 

“What happened?” 

“Oh, Adora,” Glimmer murmured. “We’ve got a lot to catch you up on.” 

Adora’s gaze instantly fell on Catra, betraying her thoughts. The former Force Captain arched her brows, as though she were daring Adora to believe that whatever had happened was her fault. 

As it turned out, reality was more warped than Adora could have imagined.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is an important plot chapter, so I'd love to hear your thoughts. Next time, Adora, Catra, and Sea Hawk set out on their quest. Romantic tension and ~adventure~ ensues! :D


	15. What Happens Now?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me, writing this chapter: "You know what this story needs? More kissing and military dictatorship moments!"

The traveling party set out before dawn. Adora led the way through the Whispering Woods, quiet in the early morning. Fog circled through the underbrush, and the grass was wet with dew. Everything felt hushed until the sun winged its way over the horizon, brightening the dark forest. From high up, the shrill chirp of a songbird cut through the haze of daybreak. Adora smiled, stretching out her arms as she continued along a familiar path. 

She, Catra, and Sea Hawk were going to Mystacor. 

The rest of the Alliance had stayed in Bright Moon, strategizing about how to defeat Hordak’s plans. The Queen hadn’t wanted Catra to go, but everyone agreed that she would be better off with She-Ra than left behind in the castle. After all, she was already driving Glimmer crazy. Besides, Adora didn’t mind having Catra around– 

Who was she kidding? _She_ had asked Angella to let Catra join the mission. Although Catra had been back for over a week, she and Adora hadn’t really talked. Not about the important things. But now, as Adora walked beside Catra, she felt thrown back to old times. Adora didn’t usually get nostalgic, but this was how things used to be: just the two of them, side-by-side in close companionship. 

Well, them and Sea Hawk. 

“ _Oh, we move through the underbrush, guided by that adventurous rush!_ ” 

“What’s this guy’s deal, again?” Catra whispered. 

“He’s a sea captain. He once brought Glimmer, Bow, and me to Salineas.” 

“I remember,” Catra said impatiently. 

_Right,_ Adora thought, embarrassed. Salineas had been the site of one of their battles. 

“Why is he singing?” 

“It’s his hobby.” 

“Okay,” Catra said with a light shrug. “I’ve seen weirder. As long as he doesn’t wake up any creepy forest animals, I’m fine.” 

Adora tilted her head, perplexed. She hadn’t expected Catra to accept Sea Hawk so quickly. 

“Look, when you live with a princess who can turn her pigtails into hands and feet, nothing is really surprising anymore.” 

“Fair enough,” Adora said. 

They fell quiet, Sea Hawk continuing his shanty up ahead. Adora was wondering what to say when Catra asked, “So what's this place we're going to?" 

“Mystacor. It’s a floating island with a school where people learn magic. Shadow Weaver lived there a long time ago, and now Glimmer’s aunt Castaspella is the Head Sorceress.” 

Catra scrunched her nose. 

“Castaspella?” 

“Yeah,” Adora said, unfazed. 

“Like she’s casting a spell?” 

They stopped in their tracks. 

“ _Whoa_ –” 

“Right? Who names their kid that?” 

Adora spun on her heels in disbelief. Her grin grew wide as Catra began to laugh, and they continued on their way. Sea Hawk turned around, walking backward as he spoke. 

“My parents named me Sea Hawk because they knew that one day, my trusty ships and I would fly across the ocean on the wings of the wind!” 

“There’s no way your name is actually Sea Hawk,” Catra said. 

“Shush,” he murmured. 

“Wait!” Adora shouted, forgetting all about her goal not to wake the forest creatures. “Your name _isn’t_ Sea Hawk?” 

***

After escaping a giant bug and leaping onto the island of Mystacor, the traveling party found Castaspella in the main field. She was teaching a few young students how to cast protective spells. Upon seeing Adora, her expression wavered between delight and concern. 

“Adora! Wonderful to see you, dear! But you look exhausted.” 

Adora sighed, her fingers still clenched around the hilt of She-Ra’s sword. She’d changed back into her usual self after getting away from the bug, but she was still rattled. Beside her, Sea Hawk took a shaky breath, and Catra kneaded the kinks in her shoulders. Adora smiled, not sure where to begin. 

“Hi, Castaspella. We’re okay.” 

The sorceress nodded, then looked behind them, as if expecting someone else. 

“Where’s my Glimmer? And her Bow? They promised they’d visit me soon.” 

Catra snorted. “Uh, they’re in Bright Moon,” Adora said. “I came here with my other friends, Catra and Sea Hawk.” 

She wrapped an arm around both their shoulders. Sea Hawk smiled cheerfully, but Catra raised a brow. The look on her face was hard to read. 

“Catra,” said Castaspella. 

“Uh – yes, ma’am.” 

The sorceress narrowed her eyes, surveying Catra. Then she suddenly smiled and shook her hand. Catra was reminded of Scorpia: intimidating at first glance, but naturally kind. 

“Pleasure to meet you. And you’re… Sea Hawk? What a charming name.” 

“Thank you,” Sea Hawk said loudly, giving the others a pointed look. “I’m glad someone thinks so.” 

Catra stuck out her tongue. Adora reined in her laughter, remembering the task at hand. 

“Castaspella, we’re actually here because we have a problem. Shadow Weaver attacked Princess Mermista at the Celebration, and now she’s sick.” 

“Shadow Weaver?” 

“The woman you know as Light Spinner,” Adora clarified. “She works for the Horde now.” 

“Oh, dear,” Castaspella whispered. 

Adora asked Sea Hawk to explain, and he retold everything that had occurred since the Celebration. 

“Mermista told me something very concerning. She says that Shadow Weaver is in her head, seeing through her eyes and hearing what she hears. Is that possible?” 

Pursing her lips, Castaspella fell deep into thought. 

“Walk with me to the Lunarium,” she said. “I think I know what happened to your friend.” 

***

Catra had to admit it: the Lunarium was beautiful. It was the most sacred place in Mystacor, a hallowed room where sorcerers cast powerful spells. Through the skylight, Catra could see the three moons of enchantment. She, Adora, and Sea Hawk gathered around Castaspella, who stood before a pool of water directly underneath the skylight. Taking a deep breath, the sorceress sprinkled dust into the water. It was made of crystals that reflected the moons’ light, making it possible to do magic. Catra had never seen the process of sorcery up close, and she could not look away. 

“Describe what happened again. How did Shadow Weaver attack the princess?” Castaspella asked. 

“Smoke surrounded her,” Sea Hawk said. “Then it suddenly vanished.” 

Castaspella waved her hands over the pool of water, and an image of Mermista engulfed in smoke appeared. 

“Like this?” 

“Y-yes.” 

“Then I know what Shadow Weaver did. She used the spell of obtainment. It’s a prohibited spell that turns the caster into a magical parasite. Our records say that Light Spinner used the spell to steal power from Master Norwyn, Head Sorcerer before me, and the spell ate him alive. Light Spinner was banished for performing it.” 

Catra wrinkled her nose in disgust. 

“She ate a guy? Maybe that’s what turned her into Shadow Weaver,” she whispered to Adora. 

“But Shadow Weaver didn’t take Mermista’s powers away,” Adora said, not paying attention. “Mermista used them to rescue us from the Horde.” 

“Remember how strange her powers looked, though,” Sea Hawk added. “The water was fused with Shadow Weaver’s smoke, as though they were acting together. I think their minds _are_ connected.” 

“That sounds like the spell of obtainment to me,” Castaspella said. “Perhaps Shadow Weaver is using it in a different way than you expect.” 

“What do you mean?” 

“The spell of obtainment doesn’t only rob its victims of magic; it steals power in every shape and form. What’s the most powerful weapon we have?” 

“She-Ra,” Adora said immediately. 

“That’s not what she means, you dummy!” Catra shoved her. “It’s the mind.” 

“Yes. The mind is the most powerful weapon we have. If Shadow Weaver is taking over Mermista’s mind, then that is also a kind of power.” 

“Can you reverse the spell?” Sea Hawk asked. 

“I don’t know how to. The spell of obtainment is banned for a reason.” 

“She-Ra’s sword has healing powers, but I don’t know if they’re strong enough,” Adora said, her shoulders drooping. 

At that, Castaspella’s eyes lit up. 

“Maybe not… But the sword was created by the First Ones. If you connected it to more First Ones technology, it could become powerful enough to reverse the spell.” 

“How is that possible? Isn’t sorcery different from the magic in She-Ra’s sword?” Asked Sea Hawk. 

“Yes. The sword is powered by a runestone, which is connected to the planet. It’s called elemental magic. Sorcery is controlled by the Moons of Enchantment and the crystals that reflect their light. But elemental magic is more powerful than sorcery,” said Castaspella. 

“In a fight between a princess and a sorceress, a princess would likely win.” 

“Ha! You see? She-Ra turns out to be the most powerful weapon after all,” she said with a grin. 

Catra rolled her eyes. 

“So if we find a piece of First Ones tech that can help power She-Ra’s sword, it could heal Mermista!” Sea Hawk exclaimed. 

“There is a chance,” Castaspella agreed. 

Sea Hawk turned back to them with a delighted look, but it soon faded back into the anxiety he’d been feeling. 

After a moment, Catra placed a hand on his shoulder. 

“Hey, don’t worry. Shadow Weaver messed with our heads all the time when we were kids. And we’re here with you now, right?” She tried for a smile. “Mermista will be fine.” 

A genuine smile appeared on Sea Hawk’s face. 

“Thank you.” 

“Don’t mention it,” Catra said. “It’s just the truth.” 

She didn’t notice the way Adora stared at her, as though she were seeing Catra in a changing light. 

***

When the traveling party said goodbye to Castaspella, the sorceress asked Catra to wait. Hanging back, Catra stuffed her hands in her pockets awkwardly. 

“Just a moment, dear. I want to show you one of the crystals here.” 

“I’ll meet you out there,” Catra called over her shoulder. 

“Okay,” Adora said. 

Castaspella grabbed Catra’s arm, making her stiffen uncomfortably, and pulled her over to a specific crystal decorating the wall. She began to talk about its history when, seeing that the others had left, she stopped and smiled knowingly at Catra. 

“You’re in love.” 

Catra felt like all the hairs on her arms had lifted. 

“What?” 

“Don’t “what” me, young lady; I’m old enough to be your mother.” 

“Maybe, but you’re not,” she said with an eye-roll. 

The sorceress shook her head, laughing. 

“I didn’t mean to embarrass you. I can just tell when something’s happening between two people – and, well, she’s a lovely girl.” 

“I have no clue what you’re talking about.” 

“You’re terribly impolite – like me,” she added, batting Catra’s shoulder. “Does Adora know?” 

“Yeah, but we haven’t talked about it yet.” 

“Why not?” Castaspella demanded. 

Catra leaned away, startled. She wondered if Glimmer’s entire family was as pushy as this. 

“We don’t, uh, have a great history. I… Really hurt her.” 

“Have you apologized?” 

Catra nodded. 

“Did she forgive you?” 

“Ugh, yes; why–“ 

“Then what is there to feel down about?” 

“I don’t _know_ ,” Catra groaned. “I just – I did some awful things, and I can’t forget about them.” 

“Oh, honey. You shouldn’t.” 

That was unexpected. Catra had really wanted this conversation to end, but now she stayed quiet, her silence urging Castaspella to go on. 

“You can’t forget about the bad things you’ve done. I know that from personal experience. When the Horde first rose to power, I didn’t join the Princess Alliance. My brother and sister-in-law begged me, but I refused. I wanted to keep Mystacor safe, isolated from the war. If I had helped with my sorcery, perhaps I would have made a difference. Instead, the Alliance fell, and my brother was killed.” 

“That’s not exactly your fault–“ 

“No, but I still feel guilty. Sometimes, choosing not to do something is just as bad as doing the wrong thing. My point is, Adora has forgiven you. But forgiving yourself? That’s on you.” 

Catra narrowed her eyes, thinking. 

“You’d better catch up with your friends,” suggested Castaspella. “It was wonderful to meet you.” 

“…Yeah.” Catra chuckled, disbelieving. “You too.” 

***

She found Adora in the courtyard, sitting under the shade of a tree while a bunch of little kids played around her. Not far away, Sea Hawk regaled some of the older kids with tales of his daring exploits throughout Etheria. When Catra had first seen how young some of the sorcerers-in-training were, she’d questioned whether or not this was a good place. But after talking to Castaspella, she became convinced that it was. Shadow Weaver might have lived here, but Mystacor had none of her unkind touch. Catra felt more at ease in approaching her old friend here than she had back in Bright Moon. 

“Hey, Adora.” 

“Catra!” Adora brightened, standing up and giving her a smile. “I’ve been waiting for you.” 

“Oh.” Catra blinked. Her heartbeat quickened in her chest. “Sorry, I was still with Castaspella. She wouldn’t, uh, stop talking about this weird crystal.” 

“That’s okay,” murmured Adora, her thoughts clearly elsewhere. Catra took a step forward, leaning in to get a better look at her face. 

“You were trying to find me?” 

A blush rose to Adora’s cheeks. 

“Yes! I want to talk to you,” she said. 

“About what?” 

“Um… You? A-and me! Us.” 

Catra bit her lower lip, hazarding a smile. 

“Us.” 

Adora nodded quickly. 

“Okay. I’ve been wanting to talk about us, too.” 

“That’s good!” Adora sucked in a sharp breath, glancing around. “But, uh, maybe we could talk somewhere that isn’t the main courtyard?” 

"You mean, somewhere private?” Catra teased, nudging Adora. She swung her tail back and forth before curling it around Adora’s waist. 

“Ah – yes, actually,” Adora admitted, glancing at Catra’s tail. She lifted a hand, as though about to pet it, but Catra swung her tail away. 

“Not in public,” she said with a mock-gasp. “Adora.” 

Catra felt a thrill of delight when Adora’s face turned even redder than before. 

“You always do this!” 

“Can you blame me?” 

“Not really.” 

Adora held out a hand, smiling openly. It was not long before Catra took it. 

“Lead the way, Princess.” 

They walked up the hill that led to the main school buildings, passing through painted archways and elaborate doors. The sorcerers did not pay much attention to them, which was good, because all Catra wanted was to be alone with Adora. Eventually, they found a smaller courtyard, surrounded by four high walls, where they were obscured from sight, in the shade of a poplar tree. Adora sat down on a stone bench, and Catra sat beside her, crisscrossing her legs. 

“So what’s up?” 

“I, er – Wanted to know how you were doing.” 

“Never better.” 

“Really?” Adora smiled. 

“Mm-hm.” Catra linked their fingers together, carefully retracting her claws. “I’m with you, and your friends aren’t so bad after all, and I finally have a comfortable place to sleep. Do I need anything else?” 

Adora laughed. “Meals that aren’t ration bars?” 

“The food here is so good, I never want to see a brown ration bar again in my life.” 

“You won’t have to,” Adora said, holding out her arms. 

Catra scooted closer, then swung her legs out so they were draped across Adora’s lap. Adora said a soft “oh,” her cheeks turning pink. 

“Catra,” Adora whined. “You’re killing me here.” 

Catra froze as a sharp feeling edged its way into her chest. 

“Killing you how?” 

“That was a bad choice of words–” 

“No, it’s fine. I know you didn’t mean it like that.” 

“In a good way, Catra; you kill me in a good way.” 

In spite of herself, Catra laughed. She curled up close to Adora with a content purr, playing with the loose strands of hair that had escaped Adora’s ponytail. 

“Hey, I want to tell you something. I was… Kind of freaking out over the idea of spending time with you.” 

“What? Why?” 

“I just… I’ve been here over a week, but every time we talk, it feels awkward. You train for most of the day, and when you come back, we don’t really hang out together. Not… The two of us. I know you’re not avoiding me – but have I done something wrong? I mean, I’m trying my best. Before, when we reunited, we…” Catra sighed shakedly. “And now you haven’t even kissed me–“ 

Leaning in, Adora cut her words short, the press of her lips firm and insistent. Catra’s voice dissolved into a muffled sigh, and she closed her eyes. But at soon as she melted into the touch, Adora pulled away. She was babbling some kind of assurance that Catra no longer needed or wanted to hear. 

“Catra, I’m so happy right now, I swear–“ 

Catra grabbed Adora’s shirt collar and pulled her close. 

“Then stop talking,” she growled. 

The kiss was rough, clumsy. Catra pressed her hand against the small of Adora’s back, ushering her closer. She nibbled on Adora’s lip – at first by accident, but when she heard the sound that Adora made, on purpose. 

Adora had no idea what she was doing. She tried to remember how people kissed in the holomovies she’d watched with Glimmer and Bow, but it was hard to think of anything besides Catra. Recalling something, Adora parted her lips, a tentative gesture. 

“Ooh, that’s what you wanna do?” 

“Huh?” Adora asked. “What are you asking me?” 

Catra gave her a flat look, but it was clear she was trying not to laugh. 

“Do a deep kiss. Make out. You know, with tongue–“ 

“I get it, Catra!” Adora flailed, nearly hitting her in the face. “Yes, I want to make out–“ 

Catra dodged Adora’s hand, but the suddenness of the moment made her burst into laughter. 

“I-I can’t –“ She wheezed, clinging to Adora’s waist. “I thought you were gonna be smooth, like She-Ra.” 

“I _am_ She-Ra,” Adora groused. “Wait, you think she’s smooth?” 

“I think you’re a dork,” Catra clarified. 

That earned a gentle headshake from Adora. 

“I’ve never kissed anyone before.” 

“Me neither. I only know about it from the older Force Captains.” 

“It’s – it's not easy for me to be close to people.” 

“Huh?” A thought occurred to Catra. “You mean, like Entrapta?” 

“Maybe? I don’t know.” 

“It’s just me, Adora. We were always close.” 

“That makes it harder. I don’t want to mess things up.” 

Catra squeezed her hand. 

“Is it possible to mess things up any worse than I did?” 

It was a rhetorical question, but Adora actually seemed to consider it. 

“Honestly? Probably not.” 

“But you forgive me, right?” 

“Of course.” 

“So, I forgive you, too.” 

Adora chuckled softly, then kissed her again. 

“What happens now?” 

“We go find Sea Hawk.” 

“No, I meant–“ 

“I know what you meant,” Adora said, laughing. “I was kidding. You meant us.” 

“We can… Take it a day at a time,” Catra suggested. 

“Yeah,” said Adora, stroking her hand. Catra felt goosebumps form under her fur and shivered. 

“You okay?” 

She laughed. “I’m just really into you.” 

“…Maybe Sea Hawk can wait another minute. You wanted more kisses, didn’t you?” 

You _wanted more kisses_ , Catra thought. But she sighed and wrapped her arms around Adora’s neck, letting her actions speak on her behalf. 

***

Uneasy. That was how she felt. Lord Hordak had summoned Scorpia to his office many times, but she’d never been under the impression that she was called there for doing something wrong. Until now. 

She strode down the hall with the practiced confidence of a Force Captain, past Hordak’s throne room to the door that led to his office. It was only when she went inside that she stumbled. Catching herself, Scorpia stood upright and saluted. 

“Lord Hordak, you wanted to see me.” 

“Shadow Weaver has lost her connection to the Black Garnet.” 

“Oh,” Scorpia said. 

Hordak surveyed her coldly. 

“The runestone cut her off, after that stunt Catra and Entrapta pulled–“ he spat their names, and Scorpia could not help but flinch. “A ridiculous idea, trying to hack the planet. I should never have allowed it.” 

Scorpia bowed her head, in agreement and apology. 

“But Shadow Weaver persuaded me that she could still be of use with her sorcery, and she has been. In exchange, I have not sent her to Beast Island. I’ve spared her life.” 

“Yes, sir.” 

“So tell me, Force Captain Scorpia, why I should spare yours.” 

“Sir?” 

“I know you were involved in Catra’s disappearance. She trusts you.” 

“Lord Hordak, I wasn’t–“ 

Swooping down from the rafters, Hordak’s imp took off around them, repeating Scorpia’s words. 

“ _The truth only matters to Lord Hordak if it’s his truth… So no, I can’t leave with you._ ” 

Scorpia’s shoulder plates tightened. 

“ _You shouldn’t have come here, Catra!_ ” The imp chirped. “ _Shadow Weaver told me to keep an eye on you._ ” 

“Lord Hordak, she drugged me–“ 

He cut her off, the red glint in his eyes burning. 

“Do you think I’m an idiot?” 

“I am loyal to you, Lord Hordak–“ 

“That’s not loyalty!” He roared, stalking toward her. “That’s _fear_. Are you afraid of me, Force Captain?” 

“…Yes.” 

He glared at her for a long time, but his gaze eventually relaxed. On the surface, so did hers. 

“At least you’re honest,” he murmured, walking behind his desk. “If it’s fear, so be it. But I would rather have your loyalty, Force Captain Scorpia. It is not the Horde’s way to be lenient with those who rebel. That does not promote order.” 

“Yes, sir.” 

“I am speaking of your parents, now.” 

Scorpia’s tail rose into a fighting position, betraying her nerves. 

“I have shown your family that leniency. I have spared your people and integrated your kingdom into the Horde. Is that not worthy of your loyalty, Force Captain?” 

“I-it is, sir.” 

Hordak pulled a lever behind his desk, and it opened a nearby curtain to reveal a glass chamber. Inside, there sat a tyrosaur; he was unfamiliar to Scorpia, but she recognized the terror in his eyes. 

“This is the guard that permitted _Princess Entrapta_ to go into the Crimson Waste unsupervised, citing Catra’s orders. At worst, he’s a traitor. At best, he’s a fool. I do not suffer fools.” 

He gripped a larger lever and pushed it down. Scorpia saw the tyrosaur suddenly struggle to breathe. 

“Etheria’s atmosphere has proven to be a complicating variable in my experiments,” Hordak said. “I’ve just removed that variable.” 

The guard staggered to his feet and banged his hands against the glass. 

“Please, Lord Hordak,” Scorpia begged, watching the tyrosaur clutch his throat. “He’s innocent! I’ll vouch for him. He didn’t do anything wrong.” 

“How do you know?” 

“I-I don’t,” she sniffled. “But I’m loyal to you. I will take responsibility.” 

Hordak slowly lifted the lever, and the tyrosaur was once again able to breathe. He pressed a button on the wall, and the door to the glass chamber opened. 

“Get out,” Hordak snapped at the guard. “There will be dire consequences for your next breach of conduct.” 

“Thank you,” the guard rasped to Scorpia. 

“N-no problem,” she whispered. It sounded more like a question than an answer. 

“Out!” Hordak yelled again. 

“Yes, sir!” The tyrosaur performed a perfect salute, in spite of what had just happened, and fled from the room. 

“Force Captain Scorpia, you might be the only officer on this backwards planet that isn’t weak.” 

It was a backward compliment if ever she’d heard one, but she thanked him. 

“Hm. You’re dismissed. For now.” 

Scorpia returned to her quarters. She flopped onto the bed, shut her eyes, and began to cry. 

_I don’t feel strong_ , she thought. She could not say it out loud, not now that she understood: Hordak’s imp was listening. She doubted it would mind if she sobbed into her pillow, so she did. 

From across kingdoms, Catra’s words returned to her: 

_You’d be free._

And her reply, a distant echo: 

_That’s just it. I wouldn’t be._

In the days after Catra left, Scorpia had hated her. As if she hadn’t wanted to leave? Now, the thought of departing this place with Catra felt like an ancient memory. No matter what, she wasn’t free here. In fact, nobody was. Not her people, not the tyrosaurs, not the soldiers that had come to this planet with Hordak. None of them would ever be free unless they resisted. 

“What happens now?” She whispered to the empty room, regardless of who was listening.

 _It is not the Horde’s way to be lenient with those who rebel_ , Hordak had told her. Scorpia had always done what was easy, in the hope of ensuring that her family would receive his mercy. But in so doing, she had helped Hordak construct them a prison. 

If that was his leniency, then Scorpia did not want it anymore. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, as always, for reading. Leave a comment if you enjoyed!
> 
> Next time: The Alliance tries to figure out how to defeat Hordak. Perfuma and Entrapta have a moment, and everyone thinks Glimmer and Bow are dating.


	16. The Plan (Part 1)

Standing at the head of the Bright Moon conference table, Commander Glimmer addressed the Princess Alliance. In her hands, she held a planning screen with elaborate maps and battle formations. Gazing at each of the Alliance members, she gave them a determined look, then spoke to the group: 

“Okay, guys. While Adora’s gone, I’m in charge of this planning session. That means no distractions, no unnecessary conversation, and–“ she turned to Swift Wind, who was smiling too enthusiastically for comfort. “No revolution. Got that?” 

Swift Wind hung his head, but he nodded. From their spots around the table, Bow, Perfuma, Entrapta, and Frosta did the same. 

“Good. Our task is to figure out a way to stop Hordak’s portal plan. Adora, Sea Hawk, and Catra aren’t here, and we don’t have Mermista because of the Shadow Weaver issue. So we’re going to approach this issue as if it were just the six of us.” 

Bow raised his hand. 

“Yes, Bow?” 

“Are we actually going to do this without Adora and the others? In real life?” 

“No, I just think it would be a good exercise. We can’t rely on She-Ra to do everything for us. Besides, we need to work on our strategizing skills.” 

“Good plan, Glimmer!” 

She smiled warmly. From across the table, Swift Wind stifled a noise that sounded suspiciously like a snort. Glimmer was about to continue when Frosta shot up her hand. 

“Yes, Frosta?” 

“Will I get to blow stuff up?” 

“I don’t know yet,” Glimmer sighed. “Let’s focus on coming up with a basic plan first. Entrapta told us how the portal would work and how it might look, but we still need to figure out where Hordak plans to build it. Any ideas, Entrapta?” 

Everyone turned to Entrapta, who seemed to not have heard the question. She was sitting next to Perfuma and explaining an elaborate-looking robot design to her. 

“And this is the EOB bot, Emily’s Older Brother. He’s fully equipped with defensive capabilities–“ 

“Entrapta!” Glimmer yelled. “Pay attention!” 

“Huh? Oh.” Entrapta’s eyes went wide. “Sorry!” 

“Where do you think Hordak would build his portal device?” 

“Probably the Crimson Waste. There’s lots of open land there; it’s a good place to set up large amounts of First Ones tech.” 

Once again, Bow raised his hand. 

“Isn’t the Crimson Waste a desert? What if sand gets into the device?” 

Entrapta stroked her chin with a lock of purple hair in the shape of a hand. 

“Hm. Good point. Well, then the portal would have to be in the Fright Zone. That’s where the Horde’s spaceship is, anyway.” 

“They have a spaceship?” Glimmer’s jaw dropped. 

“Sort of. The entire Fright Zone is built around their crashed ship. I assume Hordak’s trying to get it up and running, if he hasn’t already.” 

“A perfect target for my ice hammer!” Frosta shouted. “ _Ka-pow_!” 

“Let’s move on. Bow, do you have any dazzling plans in mind?” Glimmer asked. 

"Yes, Bow, dazzle us,” Swift Wind drawled. “Glimmer’s counting on it.” 

Glimmer and Bow exchanged confused looks. 

“Uh… Okay,” Bow began, then cleared his throat. “I have a great plan that doesn’t involve anyone dying.” 

“I thought that was a minimum requirement,” Entrapta said. 

Bow gave her a long-suffering sigh. 

“You’d be surprised by the number of times we’ve had to scrap plans because they end with my falling off a cliff or getting eaten by wild animals.” 

At that, Frosta raised a brow. 

“Isn’t that your own fault?” She asked. “Sounds to _me_ like you’re the weakest link.” 

“I'm not the weakest link!” Bow scoffed, outraged. “I am Bow, the Rebellion’s tech master and defender of Etheria!” 

“Wait, do we get codenames for this mission?” Frosta grinned, suddenly changing the topic. “Because I want to be Frostbite Winter’s Bane, the ice warrior of the north. You guys can call me Frostbite for short.” 

A long pause traveled around the table. Glimmer’s eye twitched as she struggled not to glare at Frosta, then turned back to Bow. 

“Bow, your plan?” 

“Tell the lady your plan!” Swift Wind clapped his hooves together. 

"Shut up, Swift Wind!” 

The horse huffed, flipping his hair and nearly hitting Perfuma in the face. 

Bow glanced around the table, hesitant. Honestly, his plan wasn’t that different from how the Princess Alliance usually fought the Horde, only with additional safeguards against the possibility of his getting killed. 

“So, here’s how it goes–“ 

“Wait! I’ve got it,” Perfuma giggled. She leapt up, rattling the table and bumping Glimmer’s planning screen out of her hands. “I create a plant golem, and we combine it with Entrapta’s technology to make–“ 

“The Power Plant!” Entrapta shouted. 

They high-fived each other, beginning to talk excitedly about how they would implant nanoreceptors into a Plumerian vine. 

"Entrapta, stop flirting with Perfuma and help us come up with a plan!” 

“…But I like flirting with Perfuma,” she protested. 

Perfuma’s cheeks turned pinker than the flower in her hair. 

“ _Ooh_ ,” Swift Wind called from across the table. Frosta wrinkled her nose in disgust; Bow shook his head; and Glimmer dragged her hands across her face and growled. 

“Okay, well, can you do that later? We need your help! You’re the only person here who’s ever met Hordak. We need to know what he’s like if we’re going to defeat him.” 

Entrapta opened her mouth to say something, but she was immediately cut off. 

“I heard he has lasers for eyes!” Frosta exclaimed. 

“No, no,” Perfuma corrected her. “No one ever sees his face, because it’s covered by a skeleton mask. But his hands are giant mechanical pincers that can lift a whole person into the air!” 

“What?” Bow interrupted. “You guys are exaggerating. Hordak doesn’t have any of that stuff. But he does control a huge, armored robot that’s more powerful than any of Entrapta’s inventions!” 

“Uh, no,” said Entrapta. “None of that is true. Hordak doesn’t have lasers for eyes; he doesn’t wear a mask or have pincers; and he doesn’t ride around in a giant robot. Also, Bow, it’s illogical to say that my inventions aren’t as powerful as Hordak’s imaginary bot, because I invented half of the devices the Horde uses anyway.” 

“…Sorry,” Bow mumbled. 

“Then what is Hordak like?” Glimmer insisted, leaning across the table. 

Entrapta considered that for a moment. 

“He keeps to himself,” she began, her voice becoming a little quieter. “For most of the day, he’s in his lab, working on his experiments. Some parts of his body are robotic, but I think that’s just to help him get around; I’ve never seen him use them to fight. Intellectually, he’s brilliant. I’ve never known anyone as resourceful as he is. But he’s vengeful and slow to trust others. More than anything, he’s terrified of failure.” 

“Wow,” Perfuma marveled. “You make him sound so… Human.” 

“He _is_ human,” Entrapta said. “Well, in a manner of speaking.” 

“That’s good information, Entrapta.” Bow smiled. “Thanks.” 

“Better information than the Rebellion’s Intelligence branch could gather,” Glimmer added quietly, leaning over toward Bow. 

“What are you two whispering about over there?” Swift Wind asked loudly. 

“We’re not whispering about anything!” Glimmer yelled. 

“A likely story,” Perfuma countered, arching her lips into a smug smile. The look in her eyes was almost challenging. 

Glimmer turned to her, despairing. 

“What is happening?” She groaned. “Guys, this is _exactly_ what I was talking about. With Adora here, this meeting would have been over already. We can’t just wait for her to get back before coming up with a battle strategy; this is important! It’s the future of the planet at stake!” 

“The planet…” Entrapta repeated. 

“Now, someone, think. Be creative. Like Entrapta said, Hordak is resourceful. How is he going to get enough First Ones tech to power his portal?” 

Entrapta shot up from her seat, eyes wide with glee. 

“I’ve got it, I’ve got it!” 

“What?” Everyone asked. 

“He’s going to hack the moons.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The joke of this chapter title is that they come up with no plan whatsoever. XD But maybe they're starting to figure out Hordak's plan...
> 
> Next time, Adora, Catra, and Sea Hawk search for a powerful-enough piece of First Ones tech that can help them heal Mermista. Will they find it? Will there be romantic tension? Will Sea Hawk sing shanties? We'll just have to see ;)

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading <3 Comments and kudos are always appreciated.  
> [Catradora playlist on Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/user/tolstoyevsky/playlist/3VU8EIqr9gtECOsntTr32C?si=J2BwJeVzSgyaNubmWakzLA) || If you want, you can follow me on Tumblr [here](https://tolstoyevskywrites.tumblr.com/) for more She-Ra silliness. :)


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